The Painting
by Yuki Kimagure
Summary: Hitomi and her co-worker Nakami are swept away to Gaea again and must go through a gruesome and hard journey to awaken the keeper of the moons and sun, the soul and essense of Gaea. A journey that doesn't leave all of them safe and alive. V/H.
1. Blizzard of Miracles

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the original Escaflowne but I am very protective of my baby Van-sama!!! And I also hate Hitomi but I will try to be nice to her in this story!!! * Twitch twitch * Yeah alrighty!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter I: Blizzard of Miracles  
  
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The city of Tokyo was in its normal nighttime hustle and bustle. The lights shone brightly as people went their way. Small time cart sellers waved their products to the passing by people. Women stood on street corners, flaunting themselves for a good buy. Business employees driving their fancy black cars talking about stocks on Nokia cell phones. Today was normal to most but it would change the lives of a few people.  
  
  
  
Hitomi walked down the street with her co-worker Nakami Takahara. She was nervously flipping in her agenda folder. "Crap! I think I was supposed to meet Muu-san at the office tonight! This could cost the company millions of dollars! Damn!" said Hitomi as she traced her thumb down the page. " And you know that no matter how much the boss wants you, he won't let this slide off like last time. What are you going to do Hitomi?" asked Nakami as she fetched out her keys from her suitcase. "I don't know! No matter what, I won't sleep with him for my job, I'm not like Wasaki-san!" she said as she and Nakami crossed the street. "I'm surprised that Wasaki isn't pregnant yet!"  
  
They walked to Nakami's car and got in. They drove down the jammed street talking about gossip and financial companies when they got to the apartment buildings they lived in. Nakami decided to sleep over at Hitomi's house. They dropped off their suitcases and took of their shoes at the door. Hitomi, with her friend's help, dragged out two sleeping bags and positioned them next to each other in the family room.  
  
Hitomi looked up at the portrait hanging over her fireplace. A young man with raven black unruly hair that gave him a natural look. His deep burgundy eyes stared in a strong yet gentle gaze as he stood proud wearing khaki pants and a loose red shirt that evoked the imagination. A sword with a blue hilt and a red crest set in it was held like a samurai's, stuck into the dirt. She looked up at the face and sighed. 'Why do I love him so? After so long?' she thought.  
  
Nakami looked at her friend. She always would catch her gazing lovingly at the painting and talking to it as if it were a real person. Everyone at the office thought she was crazy, calling out supposedly the man in the picture's name. They never dared to ask her about it for fear she might snap but Nakami was sure she was sane. "Hitomi? Who is that?" she asked. "My love." she said simply, not taking her eyes off of the painting. "Who is he Hitomi?" she asked again. Hitomi turned around and walked to the sofa and sat down on it.  
  
"What I'm going to tell you is the truth. I haven't told anyone this story for seven years cause no one believes me. Well, eight years ago, I was running the track for my once crush Amano when a column of blue light came down in front of me with a boy about my age dressed in armor. No one could understand what he was saying but me. He said that a dragon was coming and sure enough it came. If it weren't for me warning him, he would have been killed. I was soon swept back up in the light with him to another world. A world called Gaea." started Hitomi. "So let me get this straight, you were running when a boy and a dragon came and fought and you were swept up to a world called guy-uh with this same boy?" asked Nakami.  
  
"It's called Gaea. Well, I met many other people along the way and learned that the boy was a king of the country of Fanellia. I ended up having a crush on a knight but in the end, I realized I loved the boy." "Then why are you here? Why aren't you at Gaea with the king?" she asked. Hitomi's eyes became sad. "I couldn't stay at Gaea back then, I still loved the Earth. Now I know that that was the biggest mistake of my life. I could never be able to go back now, he has the key of everything to get back and he would never take me back, he would feel too guilty." she said as her vision began to blur.  
  
"Did you paint this picture yourself? It's really good. What's this? He has wings?" asked Nakami, as she looked closer at the painting. "Yes I painted it, it took me a year to get it right. He was born with them but they don't always show. Why? I never told you he was a Draconian." asked Hitomi as she stood next to her. "Look Hitomi, they're glowing!" she said as she pointed nervously. "Oh my God!!! I never painted those? What's happening?"  
  
Hitomi touched the glowing wings and white feathers flew out of the painting, like blizzard snow coming in from an open window. It created a whirlwind around them as they screamed. Hitomi clung onto the picture as Nakami held onto her. Suddenly a blue column of light came down. They began to float up. "Oh Hitomi! We're going to hit the ceiling!" screamed Nakami as she tried to reach out to grab something to hold her down. All she grabbed was their overnight bags. She screamed as they quickly passed through the ceiling, the roof and then up into the sky. People all around Tokyo pointed at the blue light and fell to their knees in awe.  
  
  
  
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You like!! I was not getting enough reviews on my 'Tears in a Wastebasket' so say goodbye to that story. No continuation of that one! Too bad! This one will be better though! And if you want something to happen in here, write it in the reviews or e-mail me. Just make sure you give a good title like 'story requests' or 'about your story'. If I can't tell what it's about, I will delete it on the spot. Well I love you all and my sexy baby is going to come in soon aiiight! 


	2. Return to Fanellia

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the original Escaflowne but I am very protective of my baby Van-sama!!! And I also hate Hitomi but I will try to be nice to her in this story!!! * Twitch twitch * Yeah alrighty!!!  
  
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Hitomi woke slowly. She had an incredible headache and her body was sore from stress. "What the hell? What.is this?" she asked as she rolled off of the uncomfortable thing she had been laying on. "Oh it's my painting. But where's Nakami?"  
  
She stood up and looked around. All she could see was grass and beautiful red hibiscus-like flowers. When she turned around, she saw the large canyon city she longed for. "It's Fanellia! We made it!" she exclaimed as she turned back to find nothing there. "Nakami! Nakami!!" she called. The wind was her only reply.  
  
She looked down. There was a curvy body print in the grass that dragged on towards Fanellia. A twinge of fear shot down her back. "I have to hurry and find Nakami before something bad happens to her." said Hitomi as she ran towards the canyon, painting in hand.  
  
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The room was warm as Nakami sat upright on the bed. She was drowsy and all she could remember was waking up in the field and a group of horsemen dragged her off. They stuck some kind of needle into her and she fell asleep on impact. Spying a window, she walked over and looked out.  
  
'Where am I?' she thought as she gazed to look for familiar landmarks. There were houses small and close together and built like the old Japanese houses. 'This is odd. Huh?!' There, in the heavens were two figures, one most definitely the moon and what seemed to be a planet similar to the Earth in the sky.  
  
"Where in God's name am I?" she asked as she backed away from the window.  
  
There was a knock on the door. "Wh-who-who is it?" asked Nakami. "Van Fanel. May I come in?" asked a strong masculine voice. "Hai." she meekly said.  
  
When he walked in she gasped. 'He's the same man in the painting Hitomi had.' she thought. "Is anything wrong?" he asked. "Um nothing." Her stomach growled. "Um, can I ask you a big favor?" she asked. "Okay?" "Can I have something to eat please?" she said which made Van raise an eyebrow. "Sure. But can I ask you something?" he asked. "Shoot." she said. "Nani?" "I mean you can ask." she said. "Do you know about a woman named Hitomi Kanzaki?" he asked.  
  
"Yes I do! I came here with her after a painting of hers made a column of light appear. She's probably still at the field." she said. Van's eyes widened. "She's here? I have to go!" he said as he hurried to the door. "Hey! What about food?" Nakami whined. "I'll send someone now!" he said as the door slammed shut.  
  
"Oy! People these days! Can't get a decent meal to eat!" she pouted as she slumped on the bed.  
  
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Van ran to the stables. 'Oh god! Hitomi's here? How did it happen? She came just in time. Did she change much? I hope she remembers me.' he thought as he saddled his horse and rode off. He raced like a madman down the streets.  
  
"Open the gates!!! Open the gates!!!" he yelled as he neared the gates. Luckily they opened them just enough so that he could dash through. It didn't take long for him to reach the field. His horse was panting heavily as he continued on.  
  
Soon he saw a woman with long golden brown hair. "Hitomi!! Hitomi!!" he yelled as he raced towards her.  
  
"Van?? Van!!!" she yelled as she dropped what she was carrying and ran towards him.  
  
They reached each other and hugged fiercely, not wanting to let go of each other ever again. "Hitomi I've missed you so. Don't ever leave me again!" he said in her hair. Hitomi said nothing but cried into his shoulder as she clung onto his black shirt.  
  
A while later, they mounted Van's horse and rode slowly back. 'Am I really here? Has things changed a lot in Gaea? It feels so real.' she thought as she leaned back into Van with a sigh.  
  
The ride was long but they enjoyed it. Van soon begins to tell her how much Fanellia has grown over the years. "The country is literally bursting with money. Everyone has a house and nobody starves. So many homeless from Austuria, Freid, and even Zaibach are moving here for housing. Crime levels have dropped recently and everyone's happy! There's a party everyday and we are Gaea's most richest and powerful country!" said Van as he beamed with pride.  
  
"So how's everyone? How's Merle?" asked Hitomi. "Well Merle has matured a bit and is married to one of the advisors of Austuria. She now has a little girl about five-years-old. Millerna and Dryden remarried seven years ago and now have a six-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter. Allen has found a love in Eries and they are now married with a baby on the way. Prince Chid is eighteen and courting a young princess from Cesario. Celena is currently here as one of my advisors, we have become good friends and is the only one I can talk to now that Merle is gone." he said.  
  
"Have you.fallen in love with her Van?" Hitomi nervously asked. Van blinked a little and burst into laughter. "Van! I don't see this as funny!" she huffed.  
  
After calming down a bit, he replied, "You don't have to worry about Celena, we are just close, like I to Merle. Nothing a goddess like you should worry about." he said as he brushed his hand through her now long hair. Hitomi blushed at this and cuddled up into the handsome king behind her. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------  
  
  
  
They reached Fanellia castle at dusk and they dismounted at the front doors while a servant quickly hurried Van's horse to the stables. Hitomi gasped as she looked up. "Wow Van, the palace is so huge!" she said and put a hand up to her mouth. Van chuckled and held her other hand. If this looks good, you've got to see the inside. That's much better."  
  
Walking hand in hand, Van showed Hitomi the palace. It looked pretty much the same on the outside with the blue roof but the inside was different. The walls weren't the paper and soft wood screens that they used to be. Now they were either stone or rock-hard wood. The halls were wider and every floor had a red carpet. Each room seemed to be larger and had a lot more space to move freely in.  
  
The room that caught Hitomi's eye was the ballroom. It was bigger than any room she had ever seen. She could fit five of the track fields that she used to run in high school side by side with enough room to fit a few spacious classrooms in. The floors were a nice polished cherry wood and the walls were a wonderful shade of off white. Wonderful burgundy carpets hung magnificently, ready to be used. A massive crystal chandelier delicately hung in the middle of the room, catching the rays of the sun, making rainbows shine and dance fancifully around the room.  
  
"I see you like it." said Van when he noticed Hitomi's awe-filled gaze. "It's so large! How could that be hung? Wouldn't it fall?" asked Hitomi. He gave another laugh and replied, "It is huge but the prisms are made of blown glass. It weighs about thirty pounds in the least, maybe sixty. Queen Millerna sent this to me for my nineteenth birthday. The fool who put it up almost broke it because it was so light."  
  
  
  
They walked through the living quarters as Van pointed out the rooms that she needed to know. "This is the main healer's room, her name is Ridia and she is really nice. If there is anything you need, ask her. This one on the far left is Celena's room. You should remember her right?" he asked as he squeezed her hand a little. She nodded her head and they continued.  
  
After a little while they came to more elaborate rooms. "Your friend's room is here." he said as they passed by. "Your room is right here. There are guards here to guard the staircase to my living quarters. So you'll be safe here. If you need me, the guards will let you in."  
  
Hitomi turned to Van and hugged him closely. "Am I really here? Are you really holding me?" she said into his shoulder. His hand brushed her shoulder-length chestnut brown hair. He tilted her head up to look at her closer. "Aishiteru." he said as he gazed at her emerald eyes. Small flecks of blue glittered at him.  
  
"Aishiteru." she replied. She was a little awkward to say it because it was the first time she ever said it to anyone. Suddenly she felt a soft brush against her lips. Strong arms held her closer to Van's fine toned body. He deepened the kiss and his tongue softly stroked her lips. Shyly, she opened her mouth and his tongue immediately touched hers. His raspy moan sent warm shivers down her back. Pressing her up against the wall, he slowly moved down her long neck, nipping her skin softly. She nibbled his ear and clutched onto his shirt as her toes barely grazed the floor.  
  
Calloused hands crept up her hips to her back and stopped abruptly at her bra strap. He toyed with it in wonderment of what it was. Decieding to ignore it, he continued is exploration to her breasts and cupped one with desire. She moaned softly as she leaned into his fondling. "I want you Hitomi" he sighed into her ear with lust. Raw heat emanated from her body as she held onto his demanding body. Suddenly, she felt uneasiness about what would follow this encounter of newly awakened sexual emotions.  
  
"Van, we need to stop." said Hitomi, in the middle of a quiet moan. He stopped his onslaught of kisses on her neck and moved back to her lips. "Please Van." she pleaded between kisses. Breaking away from the kiss he looked deep into her eyes. His once bright ruby eyes were now a dark burgundy. "Hitomi." he pleaded as he brushed a stray lock away from her face. "I don't want this to get out of hand, not now." she delicately said as she stroked his cheek softly. Van took her hand into his and kissed it. "I understand. You should get your rest anyway." he said with a gentle smile.  
  
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Are you all still reading this lil' ol' story of mine? I love you all. I tried to make the love scene full of desire and longing and I think I got too far a bit before I made Hitomi want to stop. If I make Van too horny in my next chapters, You can blame the great NC-17 story writers: Van Lover and more! Sorry, I'm kinda dazed right now from finally finishing the second chapter. Have patience for me; high school is hard. The only thing that keeps me goin' is the new CD from Kylie Minogue. Okay, I'll shut up now. Don't forget, review and I'll get it out a lot quicker. 


	3. 98 Degrees and Rising

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the original Escaflowne but I am very protective of my baby Van-sama!!! The chapters are getting better and owning up to it's rating so the rating will officially start in the next two chapters. Don't worry; it'll still heat up.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter III: 98? and Rising  
  
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Van stood at Hitomi's door. A week had passed since their encounter and she had almost completely moved in to her room. Exotic music was flowing out of her room loudly. Curiously, he opened the door and his eyes bulged out and he tried to hold his laughter. Hitomi was dancing in her earth clothes with a brush in her hand as she was singing into it with the song. Oddly enough, there was no one there playing the music; Just a large black and yellow box sitting on her bed. It was a strange girl's voice that sounded like she was possessed was singing the words 'I just can't get you out of my head', over and over again with some other words and sounds. Hitomi was dancing a well- scripted dance to it, shaking her hips seductively.  
  
The song stopped and Hitomi giggled and turned around. She screamed and jumped on her bed and pushed a button on the box and the next song turned off abruptly. "What the hell are you doing here Van? You can't just waltz in and watch people make a fool of themselves." she scolded with her hands on her hips.  
  
He burst into laughter and held his stomach. "I'm king.remember." he said between laughs. She blinked and sweat-dropped. "Oh yeah. but people should have their privacy you know." she said. He finally stopped laughing and wiped the tears from his eyes. "I'll remember next time 'your majesty'." he said as he gave a joking bow.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever." she said. Van eyed the colorful 'thing' on her bed and asked, "What is this machine?" Waving him to sit on her bed, he sat next to her. "It's called a radio. It picks up waves from the earth's atmosphere and songs or other programs play in it." she said as she settled it on her lap.  
  
"It's like the ones they have on airships and some guymelefs right?" he asked. "Well, kinda yeah, but this can get better reception but you can't talk into it without programming it." she said. She hopped off the bed and picked up a large container and unzipped it. Inside of it were hundreds of CDs that made Van blink.  
  
"Isn't that for jewelry? You must be really rich on the Mystic Moon to have so many." he said. She sat next to him and flipped through the pages. "This isn't jewelry, it is a disk that has music in it, like the song I was playing. I put it in the radio and it'll play it for you." she explained. "Like an orchestra?" he inquired. "Like an orchestra, but smaller."  
  
She pushed a small gray button and the top opened with ease. Van jumped up and scooted over. "It can move on it's own?" he asked nervously. "Only if I push a button. But which one do you want to hear first?" she offered and held the folder closer to him.  
  
After looking for a while, he delicately pulled out a CD with a washing machine with different things inside of it and handled it to her. She took out the Kylie Minogue CD and stuck in Shakira. She pushed numbers and the number three showed up in a little window. The song started slow and then caught a fast beat.  
  
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Celena walked down the hall to the royal quarters. She was puzzled at first when Van told her there was a woman residing in the queen's chambers. Never truly meeting Hitomi, she was a little suspicious and lectured him about women. He laughed of course and Celena soon joined in laughter. It always pleased her tremendously when he laughed. Until recently, she would always catch him sitting at the highest roof of the castle and gaze towards the Mystic Moon.  
  
That's why Merle left. She cared too much to sit and watch the king be depressed. He wouldn't sleep and he wouldn't eat for days, unless someone forced it down him. There were frequent periods of times that he would shut himself up in his room and wouldn't come out for weeks to even months. Merle was left to take care of Fanellia's problems when this happened and it became such a difficulty for her, she hired Celena as the high advisor. The council willingly accepted her in efforts to try to wed them together in order to have an heir before he dies.  
  
She wasn't like that though. She felt a closeness to the king, like a friend, nothing more. When Merle married and left, Celena was the only one Van felt comfortable in confiding with. She always understood how he felt about things and was his sidekick in the mischief they performed on the ladies who came to try to sway the king into marrying them. It was fun and she loved being in the castle with him. To her, it was better than living in the dry old manor with Allen fussing over her safety.  
  
Approaching the door, she knocked lightly. "Van? Are you here?" she asked as she peeked her head into the door. Hearing no answer, she opened the door quietly and went in. There was a small hallway at about ten feet long with an elaborately designed rug on the floor. When Celena walked into the room she gasped.  
  
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Van laid atop of Hitomi, smothering hot kisses down her long elegant neck as he was unbuttoning her shirt and pulling it off. His shirt was already thrown across the queen size bed and onto the floor. Her black lace bra was soon assaulted by frantic lust driven hands. Hitomi sucked in a ragged breath and lifted herself up to him for easier access. As soon as she did this, he found the hook and unlatched it almost breaking it.  
  
His breath became ragged as he gazed at her breasts. They were perfect to him, rosy, soft, and large enough to fit in his hands and spill over a bit. He drew his mouth around one and licked the nipple erotically slow. She gasped and shuddered at the new sensations she was experiencing. "Van.mmm." she moaned in satisfaction, her heart pumping faster as she held onto him. Her nipples hardened at the wonderful feeling of his tongue's attention it was giving her.  
  
Van then rose off of her and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I'm done." he said in a cheerful voice. Hitomi blinked and groaned in frustration. "Van.please?" she whispered as she hugged him from behind, licking his neck. "Not yet my love, I wouldn't get any fun teasing you." he said with a whining voice. "You suck Van." Hitomi pouted.  
  
Hauling her onto his lap, he said, "And you know all about that don't you?" She blushed and tried to get off and cover herself. He pulled her back even tighter to his body, making her gasp. "On second thought, I'm up to it." he said as he tossed her back on the bed and laid on her once more. Giggling, she pushed him off and put her bra back on. "And on second thought, I agree with your first decision you sick little man." said Hitomi. "Come on Hitomi, I was joking. Haha. funny right?" he said. Putting her shirt on, she replied, "Well, some things you shouldn't joke about Van."  
  
Van sat with his legs crossed and rested his hands on both legs. "Well you should probably get around to meeting Celena anyway." He remembered the lecture he got from her for bringing a woman to the castle, especially into the Queen's Chambers. "Who is this 'Celena' woman anyway? Wasn't she Dilandau?" she asked.  
  
"Well, yes, but now she isn't anymore. She doesn't even remember Dilandau or what happened to her when she was kidnaped. So do me a favor and don't bring Dilandau up to her, we don't want her to even think about him. Just to let her live a normal life." he said with stern seriousness. She nodded.  
  
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A/N: Hello guys, I'm so sorry that this was taking forever but I had the SAT 9s and those really blow. Thank God we're over with it now. I feel that I am going to have a very good explanation chapter in the next chapter with everyone. Also, I'd like to thank Eliza Walsh (?) and others who have e- mailed me about Esca things! I really appreciate it! Write me more! Bye! 


	4. Nakami

Disclaimer/ Author Notes: I want to get this over with now, I DO NOT OWN ESCAFLOWNE!!!!!! I'd love to and have Van as my little plaything for my sick and twisted kinky mind but I don't. *sniffle sniff *. Oh, when I was researching my first two chapters for writing my third one, I realized I was focusing on Van and Hitomi's hornyness and forgot all about poor Nakami! And she's supposed to have a big part in this story too. Well, here is a little chappy for her all to herself. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter IV: Nakami  
  
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Sunlight bathed a certain small room down the hall near the royal chambers. Nakami laid in bed awake. Life here was so calming and the air was so fresh and clean here. Even the oxygen bars she and Hitomi would love to hit weren't this refreshing. She breathed in deeply to relish into the air while she could. A fiery red dress was laid out at the edge of the bed. 'Oh yeah, Van was supposed to take us around Fanellia.' she thought as she stretched. Her new nightgown felt great on her and she thought she looked great in it.  
  
A bath was readied before she awoke so it was good and warm by the time she sank in. She washed up with a rose smelling soap and got out and changed. The dress had a slightly low neckline with white trimmings and yellow ribbons along the edges of the sleeves and the hem of the skirt. Her black hair was left in a loose flip and she put on her mascara.  
  
"Today will be a long boring day. Just Van and Hitomi making out in the alleys while I'll be stuck walking by myself." she groaned.  
  
Celena played with a little cat girl while picking flowers in the garden when Nakami walked up.  
  
"Why hello Nakami, I'm glad you're up." she said as she strung a large blue chrysanthemum into a circlet and tied it all together. Nakami combed her long ebony tresses through her fingers. She wasn't in the mood to wait today for something she didn't even want to do and she had a bad feeling about going to the town today.  
  
"Are Van and Hitomi coming today?" she said plain and simply.  
  
"Van should be coming out any moment now. Just wait here, he said he would meet us here." Celena said as she passed the circlet to the little cat girl. 'Just what I thought, why does his royal highness have to be late to these kind of things. Wasn't he taught otherwise?' she thought grumpily as she had to wait.  
  
Sure enough, Van came in soon with his red shirt in the painting and loose black leather pants. Hitomi held his hand happily wearing a soft blue casual dress with lace on the collar. Her short brown hair was curled up in a simple bun with curls on the sides of her face. They giggled and gave small kiss.  
  
'And here are the lovebirds.' thought Nakami as she held on a fake smile.  
  
" Are you ready Naka?" asked Hitomi after she wiggled free from Van's arms. This enraged Nakami further and she stood up wordlessly. Van and Hitomi shrugged this off and decided to go.  
  
The streets of Fanellia were abnormally busy as people busily commuted through the roads to get to their homes or to the market. They walked around the city while Van boasted about Fanellia's prosperity and Hitomi 'ooh-ed' and 'ah-ed' while showering him with praise. The entire tour was uneasy for Nakami. That same uneasy feeling wouldn't go away. All of it was directed to Hitomi and she kept a nervous eye at everyone who even came close to them.  
  
Van decided that they should take a small break at the town square. There was a large fountain and small ones around it. A park with lush greenery and flowers surrounded them. Birds flew around, singing happy tunes as they searched for mates. He and Hitomi ran off to find a dark corner to cuddle while they left Nakami to walk around by herself.  
  
She huffed and looked around. Everything was too happy for her. It seemed that she was the only one who didn't have a boy holding her waist or to frolic with.  
  
"Why didn't I decide not to go. All this is doing in making me grumpy." She said as she looked around for Hitomi. Not able to find them, she left by herself.  
  
'Surely after they're done making out, they will have the decency to know that I have left.'  
  
Along the road, the noise of hustle and bustle grew smaller and smaller. Everything became quiet as she walked trough a charred portion of the old Fanellia. Burned buildings held frailty together hung over her. The wind was chilly and only old feral cats and dogs ran along these crooked dirt roads.  
  
Her mind flared at her in warning as she walked deeper into this neglected territory. She turned to walk back and was grabbed into an alley. A large bulky man shoved her against the wall and hit her head really hard. Her vision went fuzzy and all she could see was the man heaving her to the ground and ripping off the top of her shirt. Half of her skirt was shredded up to her upper thigh. She grabbed at her head as a pulsing headache grew stronger.  
  
All of a sudden, there was a struggle between the man and another person. Someone fell to the ground and the other took a machete and stabbed the assaulter. The scene got too fuzzy to see as yells and sounds of the machete cutting flesh flooded her senses. The smell of raw blood made her gag as she felt herself growing faint.  
  
Quickly, everything fell silent. Strong arms lifted her and walked out of the rank alley. The air became fresh as she was being carried out of the burned section of Fanellia and into the warm and sweet smells of the abundant gardens. She was gently slung over the person's back and she could feel the long dark silky strands of the man's hair pour over her face. He was silent the entire time and she began to ask him to identify himself but her splitting headache prevented her mouth from making legible words.  
  
They rose slowly as if they were climbing a wall for a long time. He made a long jump down and landed in a large pond of water. Lack of energy prevented her from making a good effort to make it to the surface. Dripping of water weighed her down as her body fell slack. She remained in a dreamlike state when she was gently laid down in a fragrant spot of soft grass. The smell of roses and jasmine was abundant and she felt soothed as they were lulling her to sleep.  
  
Cloth was rubbed up on her to dry her off gently. It was wrapped around her bare torso and what was left of her skirt was pulled together to cover her up the best that he could. The trench coat was wrapped around her like a warm blanket that covered her up to the middle of the lower part of her leg. Soft and gentle hands caressed her face and traced down her nose. She was held up a little and she could feel the peaceful beating of his heart in full liquid smooth beats. He kissed her forehead, then her cheek, and the tip of her nose.  
  
Soft velvety lips caressed her in a small kiss. She raised a hand to his neck and drew him in to a more passionate kiss. He pressed her body closer to him and stroked her lips open with his tongue. Her hands stroked his mid back length hair and she met his tongue with hers as the kiss took more of a sensual course. A warm hand crept through the coat up to her breast and cupped it. She moaned and drew her head back so the man could kiss her neck.. He showered her neck in hot kisses and squeezed her breast slowly. Nakami moaned and nibbled on his ear softly.  
  
He let go of her and, with a last stroke to her cheek, he left. Nakami's sweet reverie abruptly ended as she felt her headache rush back with an even greater force and she quickly passed out after.  
  
  
  
  
  
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Author Notes: Okay, I wanted to make a big bad scene about Nakami being raped and all but I was tired of watching all of those kind of movies in Geography class. Especially if you've ever seen "A Time To Kill". I think that movie is too creepy. Well, I'm working on the fifth chapter right now! Hopefully, I can get at least 30 reviews before the fifth chapter comes out. Keep e-mailing me! I really appreciate it and it keeps me inspired. Also, I love my new Alanis Morisette CD "Hands Clean". I need to get "Jagged Little Pill". It has some of my favorite songs on it from her. Well bye!!! 


	5. Interlude to the Keeper

Disclaimer: look at the first chapters disclaimer. But who cares anyway right?  
  
Author Notes: I know you guys were reading the last chapter and were like, 'She was making out with a guy she doesn't even know!' I know it was kinda weird but you'll see why later why she did this with him. Also, SHE REALLY, REALLY DOESN'T KNOW HIM!!! And sorry it is taking so friggin long to write this chapter. School blows and when you have a D in English, your parents won't be so happy about that. So I'm retaking this in the most reading deficient class there is. I won't do that again. So I will do my very best to make this come out as quickly as humanly possible. Keep reading, it's going to get really good! Thank you and enjoy.  
  
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Chapter V: Interlude to the Keeper  
  
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Hitomi sat on Nakami's bed and stroked her cheek. She had been out for three months and she was very bruised up, especially at her head. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Nakami, this is all my fault. I should have never left you alone by yourself." she sobbed.  
  
Tremendous guilt shadowed over her. That day, she felt that something bad was going to happen but she ignored it and ran off with Van. And now her truest friend Nakami was seriously hurt and possibly raped. She remembered the way they found her.  
  
Outside at the royal gardens, she was laid softly by the lake. Her skin was still a bit damp and her hair clung scraggly to her face. Blood laced into the grass from her head. The once lovely scarlet dress was now tattered and hanging by the shreds. Her thighs were scraped up really bad and her skirt was almost all ripped off. The only thing that covered her was a mysterious, large trench coat. Hitomi ran up to her and cried as she kneeled over her. Van called the healers and helped comfort Hitomi.  
  
She sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes. 'I must be strong, I have to be strong for Nakami.' she thought. "Please Nakami, wake up please." she pleaded. She was answered by silence. With a few more wipes from her eyes, she stood up, bowed and left.  
  
The palace was quiet today. Van went off riding to clear his mind from everything. Celena had to go back to Austuria after a letter from her brother came, requesting her company. Nobody was there to talk to. A maid suggested that she go to the royal library and read a few books. Thinking that there was nothing else to do, she went and looked.  
  
Fanellia's royal library was huge. The entire room itself was about the size of the ballroom and was loaded with books, many of them charred on the edges because of the Great Fanellian Fire. 'This library is so extensive, I won't be able to read half of the books here in my lifetime! I don't know where to start.' she thought as she held a hand to her mouth. She decided to go to look for at least a few romance books and history books, if she was going to stay there, she has to at least know Gaea's history a little. She picked up a few on the financial boom of Fanellia from the Great Gaean War, the list of allies to whom and the resources they have, and two on the past royal families of Fanellia. 'Why do I need these books about the past royals? I can just easily ask Van about this.' she thought as she chuckled to herself.  
  
Some recreational reading might be fun to her so she picked up a few tales about the princess and a knight, the king marrying the pauper, and one about a sorceress and her love for a man who's soul is trapped in the body of a boa. She saw a story about a prince marrying a hybrid woman that looked sweet at first but the thought of Merle marrying Van creeped her out and she hurriedly put the book away. She piled all of the books clumsily into her arms and walked to her room. Halfway there, she complained "Why didn't I just let the poor man do his job and help me with this. I feel like I'm going to die." A maid came and took a lot from her and asked another to help with the rest. Together, they all walked to Hitomi's room.  
  
At her room, they dropped the books on the table in the hallway, curtsied and left. Van sat on her bed inside of her room. "Van, I thought you went riding." she said. He stood up and walked over to her. "That was three hours ago, I didn't want to keep you bored too long." he said. She smirked and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
"Now what is that supposed to mean? I can take care of my boredom and myself without you smothering me with attention and devotion Van." she said. He placed a quick kiss on her forehead and looked to the mountain of books at the hallway of her room.  
  
"And what's this Hitomi?" he asked. She blushed and buried her face into his chest.  
  
"It's just some helpful information and recreational reading. What good am I to you if I don't know your kingdom's customs and history?" she asked into his chest.  
  
"Well you could have asked me. It would be a lot easier and less complicated and boring than these books. I feel a little offended now." he said.  
  
Hitomi giggles and looks up to him. "Well what if you're not there and I'm by myself? How will I ask you what the annual festivals are and how to dress for them?"  
  
He pulls back a little with a look of concern. "You're not suggesting that I might die are you? I'll always be here for you." he said.  
  
She shakes her head and gives him a quick kiss. "I know you'll always be here Van, but what if you go out riding again or you're in the middle of an important meeting? I can't just waltz in and ask you then can I?" she asks with a grin.  
  
"Maybe not but I do have a very important purpose for you my lady." he says and throws her over his shoulder as she giggles and gives small screams of playful protest.  
  
"This is not what a king should do with a visiting lady! Put me down or I'll tell Celena that you're abusing me!" she protested.  
  
He threw her to the middle of the bed and stood at the edge with a questioning look on his face. "Now wouldn't that be a lie Hitomi?" he asked.  
  
She struggled to place her dress over her legs and cover herself. "Yeah but it would be a fun one." she said.  
  
He crawled over to her and kissed her deeply. She giggled and lay back, allowing his hands access to her body. His tongue moved it's way into her mouth, stroking hers softly. He hiked up her skirts and roamed his hands around her hips and waist. Straddling him, she tangled her fingers in his hair. She moaned when his hand snaked its way up under her brassiere and on her bare breast.  
  
Breaking from the kiss, he whispered, "Why can't we make love now?" She licked his ear and replied, "Because if we do, I might end up carrying your child afterwards. And Fanellia will look down upon us." She nibbled his ear softly. He spread rough kisses down her neck. She gasped and leaned her neck out for his easier access.  
  
A loud knock echoed in the room. She froze and stammered out, "Y-Yes?" Van ignored it and moved down her dress.  
  
"Lunch is ready in the casual dining room. Is there anything you need?" asked a female voice. His mouth found her left breast and sucked it strongly. She moaned out and sharply quieted herself.  
  
"Is everything alright in there Lady Hitomi?" she asked with a hint of concern. Hitomi struggled to keep the second one in and replied weakly, "Yes, I-I'm fine, I just tripped that's all. Thank you for-for telling us, I mean me. Thank you for telling me."  
  
After slight hesitation, the messenger replied and bade farewell. Hitomi snapped at Van. "Thanks a lot Van, now that poor woman may be thinking that I'm masturbating." she said as she pushed him off of her and prepared to get p when he jumped back on her and kissed her.  
  
"Sorry Hitomi. I just can't get enough of you." he said between rough kisses. She moaned loudly and pressed him up against her. He moved back to her breast and sucked roughly through her dress, stroking his tongue against her hardened nipple.  
  
"Oh Van." she moaned softly as she arched her back. "Please I have to eat. I haven't eaten all day." she begged. He gave one harder suck on her and crawled off. She swung her legs over the bed and stood up. The material on her left breast was damp.  
  
"Thanks a lot Van, now I have to change too." she huffed as she walked over to her armoire. She pulled out a long orange dress with a high neck and no sleeves. Pulling off her dress, she felt arms wrap around her waist and pull her against him. He breathed huskily into her ear, "I'm sorry. I don't seem to be doing good today. How can I. make it up to you?" he asked. His hand moved down her stomach and into her panties.  
  
She gasped and moaned as he stroked her softly. He licked her neck and pressed her roughly against him. She could feel him harden behind her. His fingers wandered in her underwear and stroked her nub. Moaning loudly, she leaned heavily onto him.  
  
"Oh gods, stop please Van. I won't want you to stop if you don't." she gasped out and moaned again. He nuzzled her neck, licked her ear and left her. Without breath, she lay against the wall and sighed. She then put on her dress and went to the dining hall.  
  
There was a long large table made of oak in the middle of the room. It was adorned with a scarlet runner down its length. A long pair of leafy garlands rested along it's middle with a large candelabra in the center. There were what she estimated to be forty some chairs in this "casual" dining room. Two tall backed chairs with red satin cushioning and laced with gold sat proudly in the front end. The curtains were drawn closed because of the coming of the winter chill.  
  
Seeing no one was there, she sat there quietly, thinking about Nakami. She was supposed to be treated by a Cellonian group of priests soon. The Cellonians were gifted like the Draconians in their intelligence and magics of healing. They themselves had long silver hair and blood red eyes. They had the lust for fire and were incredibly expertise in the acts of war. But they never used their powers and gifts unwisely as the Draconians did. Living on the same continent of Atlantis, they traded with the Draconians but dared not to mingle and interbreed. The Draconians felt themselves superior and refused to lower themselves to the Cellonian's level.  
  
When Atlantis sunk into the water, the Draconians pleaded with the Cellonians to save them. Feeling it right, they created Gaea out of their wills, a place to live in peace and unseen to Earth. In turn, the planet took the Cellonian's immortality and shortened the lives or the Draconian race to 200 years. Unlike the Draconians, the Cellonians were honored for their sacrificed and were thought highly of. They soon slipped out of existence and were rarely heard of again. Fanellia, the place where the Cellonians first landed and settled before moving on, had many kings of Cellonian blood. They moved to Freid, in a zigzag to Austuria, and finally they waded into the waters of the Naelus Sea. Van had the Cellonian blood, little, but still strong in him, alongside his Draconian blood.  
  
They had appeared out of nowhere, when the Ispanian healers had failed miserably in attempts to even making her stir. The wounds on her wouldn't even heal; it was like her body ceased functioning at all. Hitomi feared damage to Nakami's brain. The Ispanian monks advised to kill her to release her from the sleep she was caught in. At this news, Hitomi wept and Van fumed at them, dragging them literally into their airship and told them never to return to Fanellia again.  
  
Two weeks ago, a small pyre, a phoenix looking bird of beautiful orange, yellow, and red feathers of fire, flew in with a message of their journey to Fanellia to awaken the 'keeper of moons and sun'. Van was shocked when he say Hitomi holding the legendary fiery bird with such ease. He scolded her not to handle those kinds of birds again. 'They are dangerous creatures that grow to the size of dragons and can purge entire cities into a hell of fire. Don't ever do that again Hitomi.' he pleaded. She agreed but secretly slipped a reply letter to the bird hiding under the windowsill and it flew away gracefully.  
  
She doubted that they would be here in time. Or would make it at all. 'Don't give up hope Hitomi, you remember the last time you gave up on the ones you love.' she thought to herself. She was right. So she thought with all her might that they would make it early and safely.  
  
Van walked in quietly and sat down next to her. "Hello Hitomi. Sorry I kept you waiting. The healers and I had an enormous argument." he said nonchalantly. Hitomi didn't have to ask what they were arguing about, she already knew. It was about their decision to keep her alive until the Cellonians come. The healers said she was a lost cause if the Ispanians couldn't even cure her.  
  
She looked to him softly and smiled. "It's alright Van, it gave me some time to think about things." she said. With a snap of his fingers, maids came in with their food. It wasn't much like they used to serve so only two came in. They ate in silence throughout the entire meal, delving in their own thoughts. The hall felt empty to her. She remembered how it used to be busy with the wisecracking of Celena and the sarcasm of Nakami while she and Van would chatter incessantly about things only lovers thought of. Those days were full of life and the windows would shower sun on their merry faces.  
  
Now, the windows were drawn. The meals were smaller. Time was spent worrying alone than conversing loudly about nothing. All of the days seemed to get colder and colder. 'If only Nakami was still awake,' she would always catch herself think. 'We would be here, together again.' Standing up, she placed a quick kiss on her love's lips and walked to the door.  
  
"Hitomi." he said. She halted and spun around, as if waiting for something big. He could see the anticipation in her eyes, along with the weariness of waiting and lack of sleep. "Um, never mind. I forgot." he said and looked back down at his food. Hearing the door click softly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bright diamond ring. Sighing, he looked back to the door and combed a frustrated hand through his hair. "I'll ask you later. Nakami, please wake up." he thought aloud. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------  
  
Again.she was running; she was always running. Her long raven hair was tied up with a bright satin ribbon into a Grecian-like bun. A long black linen dress in the same fashion flapped around her thinly. Bare foot, she wore silver anklets and a long bronze dragon armlet on her upper arm. Her heart was thumping wildly. All was red and black as fire blazed around her. A crowd of people was running up ahead of her. They were escaping from a large city that may have been beautiful another day. It was now burning to the ground. Fireballs shot down around her.  
  
She was confused with it all. First the residents were yelling at her, calling her blasphemous things, and now she was running with them. All of this gave her a headache but she ignored this as she ran. In her arms she carried a small toddler. She had come with her through her entire trip through this doomed city. Soft silver hair was cut short to her shoulders and she had a large symbol on her forehead, it looked as if it was real gold. "Save me." she said as she held on to her savior.  
  
The runners in front of her jumped off of the cliff nearing her and sprouted snowy white wings. Coming to an abrupt halt, she looked after the flying angels ahead of her. Fire sprouted behind her, threatening to push her off. The little girl clutched onto her and whispered, "Jump. we will catch you." Looking back at the nearing destruction, she felt the ground under her surge downwards in a hastened lurch. She was thrown off balance and off of the cliff.  
  
Screaming, she tried to push her back, to let out white saviors like the people she had joined in the fleeing. To her avail, nothing happened and she fell down the cliff, the waterfall next to her joining in the long and deadly plummet. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------  
  
It was a dark and snowy day. Three more days had passed and still no sign of her recovery or the Cellonians. Hitomi was beginning to think that there was no hope for her friend, that she would grow old in that very bed. It was snowing softly, layering Fanellia in a soft cover of white. She wanted to roll around in the snow and sled like she used to at home but Van made her stay in. According to what he said, it never snowed in Fanellia, only hailed at the very most. The last time it did, it was during the eternal winter and the snow was poisonous. Many children died that year.  
  
She looked out the window and sighed. No body went outside. Nobody dare to. It was too quiet and she hated to be inside. Snow gathered in her windowsill. Looking left and right, just to make sure Van didn't see her, she carefully stuck her finger into the growing mound of white. The swift cold of it made her yank her finger out quickly. Easing in, she played with her little hill of soft snow. Laughing, she made swirling patterns to make a big hole into it. Suddenly, the whole started to fill up with a crimson liquid. It pooled into the hole quickly and started to overflow.  
  
"Oh my God!!!!!!" she screamed as she scrambled her way away from the puddle and all the way into the room. Van ran in quickly after hearing her scream.  
  
"What happened Hitomi?!" he asked fearfully. She pointed to the pile of snow on the windowsill. He carefully walked up to the sill and nearly jumped back. The crimson was now over flooding the snow and turning it red as it collected into a perfect perimeter around it. "What the hell?" he said as he looked into the crimson.  
  
The pool suddenly swirled up and formed into a pyre. It flapped and hovered over the wood sill. It began to chant a prophecy in its soft, mystical, female voice.  
  
The moon of hidden pasts untold  
  
The one of silver, the one of gold  
  
A heart of two combined to one  
  
And under a tree the fate is begun  
  
Insatiable youth, innocence is bliss  
  
As stars bend their knees and give a kiss  
  
Her soul is strong forged by fire  
  
Her innocence calm, cooled with water  
  
Life spared by an unearned run  
  
Long lives the keeper of the moons and sun  
  
It swirled up and disappeared. Van and Hitomi stood there, contemplating about what the pyre said. Hitomi was shaken by all of this action. She wished she hadn't gone against Van's wishes to keep her safe.  
  
A Guard from the front gates of the castle knocked on the door. "Come in." said a shaken Van. He walked in and bowed to each of them. He straightened up when he acknowledged Van.  
  
"There is a band of cloaked figures coming to the castle. They say they have business with the keeper of the moons and sun. Should I let them in?" he asked. Van could tell he was quite shaken from even running for a second through the snow. That, and there were people actually walking in large groups, unshaken about the white rain of death. He smirked at this.  
  
"I'll receive them in the study." he said. Quickly bowing, the guard ran hurriedly to the front of the castle, where the Cellonians were waiting. Where destiny was about to change Fanellia forever...  
  
  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------- Author Notes: MWUAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! I love it when I give cliffhangers to people!!! Well, this is where the 'happy-go-lucky' story goes into a completely different direction. But don't worry; people won't die.too quickly. And you guys. PLEASE review!!! You don't know how pissed off I get when only five people review. You can even just write, "Good story. Write more." I'd appreciate it. Well, I'm soooo sorry that I haven't been able to give you the rough and wild animal sex like you wanted it. It's not time yet. Don't get your panties in a bunch and chill. Jeez. He heh. Well, if you have any suggestions or productive comments, REVIEW, or better yet, E- MAIL ME. I like to keep my e-mails from fans about my stories. Believe me, I have my own little folder on Yahoo! Mail just for your insights. And, if you have any flames, please give me your e-mail address at least. I hate cowardly people like that. You should have an e-mail address to flame. If you don't then too bad for you laddies. Well, got to go! I'll write the next chapter soon, though it may be. 


	6. Complications and Death

A/N: Oh my God!!! I have actually finished the first part! It's the prologue actually. A very big prologue. Now is where the real story begins. There is going to be a big surprise in the end or the middle of this chapter as well so, go on. GET TO READING! He heh. Well, can't find enough to say. See ya at the end.  
  
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Chapter 6: Complications and Death  
  
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The small room that Nakami resided in was crowded with the cloaked tall figures. The leader wore a red robe with an intricate silver design on the front of it. It depicted a pyre with a sun in one claw and the two moons in the other. Wisps of silver hair shone out of the hood. His eyes were hidden in a shadow and his long nose stood out elegantly from his profile. A soft warm-colored hand caressed over Nakami's cheek and down her neck, slowly as if he was savoring it.  
  
Rhym luct ar...  
  
He clasped his hands slowly and held them out over her. A red glow emanated gently from his palms.  
  
Rhym luct ar...!  
  
The other cloaked figures did the same. A red dome covered her in a dim light, as she still lay unmoving. He forced more energy into the shield and it glowed stronger. It pulsed and hummed warmly.  
  
Sucutukei niinega heyla knadrete len saldun...  
  
The leader released his hands from the shield and touched his heart with both of his hands. A red light glowed softly from his fingertips. He spoke this part with tenderness and with his soul.  
  
Im dreykenla...  
  
This verse was said in Draconian. "With heart." Van said while not looking away from the display. Hitomi looked up to him with a curious look on her face. The leader then tapped his forehead with his left and joined his hands together in a clasp.  
  
Im sucala ist nem...  
  
"With soul and mind." Van said, trancelike. There was a soft silvery glow between the man's hands. He cupped them and held it in a ball and raised it up to his lips, kissing it delicately. He raised his hands over the shield and before letting the energy go, he spoke another phrase.  
  
Im sakin sey kassa ip frem dalak alh de kunt frempta...  
  
Van understood what that meant and he sucked in a quick breath. "With body I die 'til lights wings carry me away." he said. She looked up to him and then to the man. 'Oh God, let this be worth it. Let them be okay.' she prayed as she looked on, helpless to the man, and Nakami's disadvantage.  
  
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She continued falling. 'Help me.' she prayed. Suddenly, there was a screech and a burst of fire next to her. In a burst of feathers, a large, phoenix- like bird flew down under her and they landed on it's back. Climbing up so she could see, she noticed they were going the opposite direction, into the fire.  
  
"Wait! We must follow them! We have to escape, not go to it!!" she yelled at it. Looking back, she watched the winged ones fly away with a longing to be safe with them. Suddenly, a series of large tongues of fire lapped them up one by one. Blood curling screams could be heard from them and they were swallowed up into the burning inferno. Choking on a sob, she let a lone tear fall down her cheek for the innocent people and children who were killed. 'We aren't going to make it alive from here.' she thought as she looked down to her enormous rescuer.  
  
The bird swung left and she and the girl held on tight to it. Fire ruptured under them as it licked and tasted the bird. All it did was absorb through it. They dove down and quickly dodged falling columns. It flew with the expertise that she had never seen before. Dodging and ducking seemed so natural for the beast as she watched with a frightened but wonder filled heart as she saw the columns and buildings crash under them.  
  
A large column fell and it hit the bird, making it flap up frantically. She fell off and landed in the middle of the rubble. She heard the girl scream and call out to her. 'Inhestia, is that my name?' she thought as she looked up wearily. She saw fire around her everywhere but she felt warm and contented with this. The water would soon come and she would sink, along with this once wonderful paradise. Her head felt dizzy and she lay back, wanting to rest.  
  
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The priest walked through the barrier easily and looked down to the woman before him. A smile came across his lips and he could feel the energy drain from him slowly but surely. "Musukala ghen ciñasteñia." he said as he kneeled next to her. Kissing her hand, he held it to his cheek. His eyes began to droop as his life energy was being sucked into her. Laying his face into the crook of her neck, he took a deep breath, letting his nostrils take in her soft scent of pine, burning wood, and clean clear water. "Inhestia..." he breathed and went limp, falling onto the ground next to her bed.  
  
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Inhestia lay on the ground, feeling this her last moment of life before her flesh would be swallowed up in flames. The pyre and the girl were gone and she was alone. Memories rushed into her head as she slowly began to take a grip on who she really was. The keeper of the moons and sun, empress of her people the Cellonians, promised to the high priest of the cathedral of Holy. Her heart sunk at the last thought. She did not know who he was, nor did she love him. They were paired at birth and the decision was complete. Not many saw his face. Hell, she could count all that have on her two hands. A close friend of hers, his companion Faslien, said that he was quite handsome and very strong spoken when he spoke. All of the talk of him made her sick. She loved another but their love could never be more than the small caresses that they gave each other.  
  
A constant crack of a slow pace grew slowly nearer and nearer. ' Oh just let me die. Why do I need to suffer any longer.' she thought as she hugged herself. Strong yet gentle hands picked her up and started to carry her away. "Let me go! How dare you disturb me! Let me die! Nothing is worth living in despair day to day!" she screamed as she kicked her legs, trying to squirm her way out of his grip. He continued unfazed and walked to a large dark scarlet colored pyre.  
  
It was a magnificent bird, even more so than the one she rode earlier. The long crest feathers were thin and defined. Purple accented the tips of its wings, the crest feathers, and it's elongated wispy tail. A thin velvet bit rested in its mouth and held the lengthy rein of violet velvet. He set her protesting figure on the bird's back and climbed on with her. Holding her against him, he held the reins and the pyre set off smoothly.  
  
A long time passed until they reached a small abandoned house. The once soft marble was now slimy with rainwater and slime from the plants around it. The roof had many holes and looked as if it had been hastily put together when it was made. Inside, the rooms were dusty and rank. The smell hurt her nose as she buried her face into his shirt to breathe in a much better scent. He carried her to a large bedroom and set her on the large and somewhat kept rickety bed.  
  
She backed away to the headboard when he started to remove her clothing. "Do you mind?!" she hissed. "You can't just pick me up and take off my clothes as if I am one of your whores!" She hugged her slightly undone clothing close to her body. He smiled beneath his cloak and tossed her a few ratty garments.  
  
"I thought you were too tired to clothe yourself." he said and turned to start a fire in the makeshift fireplace. Holding his hands over the dry gathering of wood, he mumbled out the words, sukar-aut and a small red glow hummed from his fingertips. A little spark shot out and it created a small flame of fire. More jumped out and soon, there was a blaze. He turned and Inhestia stood there, watching his magic.  
  
"Aren't you going to change? We may have to leave here abruptly." he said softly. She looked at the clothes on the bed then back to him.  
  
"Do you mind?" she asked. It was more of an order than a request. He smiled. His hands stopped the glow as he stood up.  
  
"As you wish Empress." he said. He walked out the door and left. She watched him walk away and she shrugged. Taking the long cotton dress, she sighed. "Well, at least I'm not killed." she said as she put on the drab, grey stitching of cloth.  
  
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Celena looked out of the carriage window. The ride to Fanellia would be long and tiring. They were going to stop at the nearby Shanearst inn and spend the night until the snow melted. She didn't understand it but she decided not to complain. The trees rushed by her as she thought of Nakami. 'Poor Hitomi, I feel so horrible for her. Why does fate treat her so horribly? I hope that Van will ask her soon before something bad happens.' she thought.  
  
The carriage was very bumpy and uncomfortable. She requested that she ride an airship to Fanellia but Allen insisted that she ride a carriage, something more suitable for a lady. The woods were dark and night was about to fall. The trees were thick and she couldn't see very far into the deep forest. "How much farther are we to travel Gaddes?" she asked to the driver.  
  
"About a few more miles. Don't get too restless on me." he said as he whipped the reins to make the carriage go faster. Two horsemen rode behind them and four horsemen went off farther to check out the road ahead. They didn't come back for a while now. 'Oh they are probably taking their sweet time like they normally do.' she thought as they carried on. 'I hope I make it back to Fanellia quickly, Van is probably all strung out on dealing with the advisors, Nakami, Hitomi, and the country, plus the overflow of marriage proposals from princesses.' she thought with a giggle.  
  
Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt and the horses whinnied loudly. She fell into the middle of the carriage in a heap. The two horsemen behind them galloped their horses rapidly around the carriage. One of them looked into the carriage and whispered, 'Don't look out and close the curtains. Keep quiet, lay down, and don't move.' he said and tossed in a dagger. She caught it and the rider rode off into the front. Doing as she was told, she held the dagger closely as she listened carefully.  
  
"Don't you understand, this carriage is under Asturian control and if you know what's good for you, you will leave." That was Gaddes. His tone of voice scared her. She could barely even recognize her lover. His voice was rough and dangerous, like a vicious wolf.  
  
"We have come for the prize inside of the carriage. If you don't let us pass, we will have to take her by force." said a weirdly foreign voice. Horses hooves started to clatter towards her and then the carriage shifted as, what she guessed, Gaddes jumped down. The sound of metal came and he bared his sword.  
  
"You'll have to kill me first." Gaddes declared in his merciless tone. More clatter of revealing swords echoed it's way into her ears. More horses hooves.  
  
"If you wish, so be it." said a new male voice. She gripped her dagger and prayed that nothing horrible would befall her, or Gaddes.  
  
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Van recalled what he and the red-cloaked leader had conversed upon. They entered the room where Nakami was kept. A soft silver glow was forming, one that was never there before. Leader, as he referred to him, said that they made it in time.  
  
"The keeper is awakening, she is taking in her memories and identity." he said in his monotone voice. His entire being reeked ice-cold energy and his mysteriousness made him uneasy. The leader said something in an outlandish language and his followers placed themselves around the bed in a perfect circle. Hitomi held onto Van.  
  
"Do you think this will work Van? Do you think she will wake up?" she asked with a hopeful look in her eyes. He felt his heart sink as he paused to conjure up his answer. He felt that they did have a magical aura and that could help her wake but then again, the Ispanos, the best healers in all of Gaea, couldn't even stir her at all.  
  
He had some suspicion about these people. How they just came out of nowhere and offered to help with no money. And this 'Keeper' crap was getting annoying. He in truth was a bit skeptical about them but he had to put his faith in them. "I hope they do, that's all I can say." he said as he gripped onto her tightly.  
  
Now this man, their leader was dead. Motionless, his face lay down onto the wooden floor. He fell down there when the last amount of energy he had was bestowed into the sleeping Nakami. A small pool of blood had dripped from his mouth, a weird purplish red color. A sickening thud echoed in the room when his body lay in a heap. The shield then pulsated and grew solid in a shiny red glow. Hitomi gasped and held onto him, burying her face into his chest. Hugging her crying form close to him, he watched the leader's body, as it grew paler by the minute. 'He truly is dead.' he thought. He silently hoped that Nakami and the man would be saved.  
  
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Her cloaked body was pressed against his. Their bodies were wet and her black tresses were out of place in her once tidy bun. The uncomfortable feeling was nothing to her all she felt was fear. He breathed roughly above her and looked over them to the horrible debris ahead. Luckily he jumped onto her when he saw the first wave of water rush over to them. The roar was tremendous and she shook in terror as she was immobilized from the sight of it. It was enormous and was what he estimated to be about thirteen pyres tall. Jumping onto her, he held her with an iron grip. She screamed and he yelled for her to hold her breath as much as she could.  
  
Right after he said that, the wave hit them like a building. She held her breath and they slammed into the shack like a rocket. Suddenly, she let go of her air and struggled against him as she gasped for air. He pressed his mouth to hers and she sucked the remaining oxygen from his breath. They rode in the wave for a while until they fell off of a cliff. They broke off of the 'kiss' and gasped for air.  
  
The water below was a giant flood where abundant crops once grew. They shot into the water and he struggled both of them up to a large floating piece of wood that used to be the side of a house. He pulled her up onto it and laid tiredly on top of her, gasping for breath. Destruction was everywhere, large pieces of wood was scattered, cows and chickens were floating, dead by drowning or impaled by the rushing wood. The gore of it all made him sick to his stomach.  
  
Inhestia was gasping furiously, trying to get air in her water filled lungs. He pulled her tiredly over the side of the wood and she coughed out loads and loads of water. Coughing, she gasped, "Why... why is this happening? Why are the gods casting us down?" She cried as she said this.  
  
"They aren't casting us down, they are infuriated with the Draconians; with their lust for their power; to sit on their thrones as gods." he spat as he tried to catch his breath. Lying on the middle of their makeshift raft, he spread his arms out and heaved in a large breath. Inhestia crawled up to him and lay on his chest. She snuggled up to him and purred in contentment. This man made her comfortable. He was kind to her even though she was rude and inconsiderate to him. Closing her eyes, she traced a finger down his chest affectionately.  
  
"Inhestia.?" he asked. His body tensed as he pulled away from her softly. She knew the hard feeling in her chest. It was weird to her and she never thought she would be so entranced to someone so quickly. His secretive and quiet charming ways aroused her and she couldn't stop the attraction that was growing on her. Sure she loved another but she felt drawn to him. He sat back on the raft and looked to her. His eyes were still covered and this upset her somewhat.  
  
She crawled up to him and kissed him. Looking to him in a curious look, she asked, "Why do you hide from me?" He didn't respond, only the fair hints of a blush on his cheeks.  
  
"I don't hide from you Empress. I hide from the world." he said quietly. Curiously, she raised her hands to the sides of his hood and, somewhat ceremoniously, removed it from his face. Eerily blood red eyes stared out to her nervously. Pupil-less, they were a bit frightening but at the same time, soft and at the same time, sexy to her. His eyes seemed to draw her in to him. She could see a silver emblem on his forehead. It was a detailed eye with a moon on the left and top of it and a sun on the right. It was like hers but she had a pyre in the middle of the iris and the moons were detailed while his was not. Long silver hair traced down his wet face and clung to it attractively.  
  
"Why do you hide your face?" she asked softly. He looked down sadly.  
  
"Many a people were frightened of my eyes when I was a child. So I silenced myself and lived in the cathedral as a priest." he said. He caressed her cheek. "Why aren't you scared of me?" he asked looking into her eyes. She blinked and shrugged.  
  
"I really don't know. Maybe it's because I'm falling for you." she said as she kissed him. Her tongue stroked his lower lip. He met hers in a passionate kiss. She pulled back a little and brushed a soft, wet lock from his face.  
  
"Who are you? What is your name?" she asked. He blinked and shook his head with a smirk.  
  
"You'd hate me if you knew." he replied. Searching in his face for the answer, the pyre burst out in the middle of the sky. It screeched and flapped wildly.  
  
"Master, we must leave. Another wave, fiercer than the others is coming very rapidly. Please master." the bird pleaded in a soft female voice.  
  
He nodded and helped Inhestia up. She looked up to the bird in wonder. This man must have a very powerful sense of magic to be able to cast a speaking spell on his pyre. The only other pyre that she knew of that could speak was her snow-white one. Her hand gripped his to halt him.  
  
"Tell me what you're name is at least." she asked. He smirked and looked back to his pyre.  
  
"It's Arnin."  
  
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Celena held Gaddes close to her heart, as if she could feed her essence into him. It wouldn't help at all. He was dead. Slaughtered brutally by the now fallen bandits who came for her. They had broken into the carriage and she stabbed the first one in the heart and drew it out in a twist. She kicked him out and he fell in a silent heap on the ground. The other two came in at once and one held her down while the other proceeded to rip her skirt off. She screamed and kicked, trying to get the man off of her. They way he was touching her made her sick and the man holding her down yelled for her to shut up or they will kill her.  
  
Luckily Gaddes found his way around the side of the carriage and threw him out before he had really done anything permanent to her. They fought and the man was killed. The other came out and stabbed Gaddes in the stomach. She jumped out and started to run. The assaulter ran after her and threw her to the ground. As he started to rip off his pants, she took a sword from one of the slain guards and shoved it into his head. He fell in a sickening thud on top of her, his blood spilling onto her face.  
  
Her love lay dead on the ground near the carriage. She crawled her way towards him and held him up, supporting his head. His eyes were wide open in the shock; soft blue and beautiful, too beautiful for death. Wiping his eyes closed, she held him close and wept over him. Now all was lost to her. Her lover, her life was taken away from her. Blood was leaking out of his body and soaking her bare legs.  
  
She dragged his limp form into the carriage and used the blanket that she was sleeping with to cover him. Ripping off a curtain, she wrapped it around her waist and walked to the front of the carriage to check on the horses. They were still okay and the five horses left by the two guards and three assaulters stood in one spot. She took their reins and tied them onto the other horses tightly. Then, she dragged the bodies of the two guards onto the benches in the coach and climbed up into the rider's seat and whipped them softly. The carriage lurched forward and they started to move in a rapid pace. She had made up her mind. She was going to go straight to Fanellia. She didn't care about rest anymore; she just needed comforting from her best friend.  
  
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Merle sat in the nursery. She had given birth to a beautiful baby boy two months ago. He had the most beautiful gray eyes, like his father and her soft red hair. The baby cooed and settled down for his afternoon nap. She kissed his forehead and whispered, "Good night Kale."  
  
Life was wonderful in the large manor. Her husband Dorian was kind to her and spoiled their daughter rotten. She smiled at that. Elis was such a kind and sweet little girl. She gave her possessions to those who needed it. Merle felt pride in her for raising her so well.  
  
"Mom!! Ethan said that he has a two-headed dragon in his backyard!! Is that true?" she asked as she tugged on her mother's arm. She was the vision of her father. His dark black hair, and soft gray eyes, all of her appearances was Dorian's. There were small highlights of dark burgundy in her hair and she liked that about her.  
  
"No, if Ethan had a two-headed dragon, you would see it." she said. Elin puffed her cheeks in annoyance.  
  
"But he said it was an invisible dragon." she huffed.  
  
"Well, ask him to show it to you and if he can't, then he's not telling the truth." she smiled. Elis nodded and ran out of the door, to the front of the manor and out to Ethan's house.  
  
She walked off to the bedroom and looked down at her hand. A lone gold band shone proudly with the emblem of the Fruchient family embedded in the green gem in the middle of the ring. Her wedding was the most wonderful one she had ever seen. They were married in the nearby cathedral on a warm summer night. The fireflies decorated the evening in a warm glow. Her dress was long and beautiful with a lengthy lace veil, two pink tulips on each side of her head. He was as handsome as ever and he wore a soft white dress shirt that was neatly tucked in.  
  
Luckily Van was there, to share her happiest moment in life, well, one of them. She could tell he was sad. He was lonely and nothing could save him, except his lost love from the Mystic Moon. Some days, she wished that she had never set foot onto Fanellia, never touched Van's life and stole his heart. But she knew that she was happy for him. Hitomi helped him lose the cold and arrogant exterior and become more in tune with his feelings. He was kind and Merle loved that about him.  
  
After the wedding, Van gave Merle their congratulations and Merle hugged him, promising that if there were any way that she could bring Hitomi back, she would do it. Van thanked her for the thought and they didn't see each other for another year, when she was giving birth to Elis.  
  
Her idiotic husband had scheduled an irreversible meeting with the Asturian council on the month of her delivery. So Van came as fast as he could and stayed with her the entire month. She could remember the look on his face when she walked into his room that morning. Her yellow nightgown was soaked on the bottom and clung onto her legs. He looked at her as if her head was shot off. "Oh, um...I'll go get the healer. Don't move o-okay?" he said as he scrambled off. All she did was giggle and lay on his bed.  
  
It comforted her that Van was there, holding her hand when she gave birth. She missed her husband, no matter how brainless he was. The healer dumped the baby into Van's hands and he clumsily held her. She had to instruct him until he found a comfortable way to hold her. The baby kept crying and Van was panicking. He gave the baby to Merle and she held her softly. She stopped crying and she looked up to her mother with curious gray eyes.  
  
Van asked her what she was going to name her. She decided to name her Elis, Dorian's favorites of her names. They had to give Van a different bed for the rest of his month stay. Her husband was completely disappointed that he missed her birthing. Merle made him promise that he would be there the next time that she had a child. She hadn't seen Van since the birth of Elis and she missed him. He said that he would visit some day soon when a friend of his was better.  
  
She opened the door and her husband sat at the small desk reading a few documents for the king. Smirking, she hugged him from behind and licked his neck. He jumped and then realized it was Merle. "I thought I told you not to bring anything with the king's seal in our bedroom Dorian." she purred as she nibbled up and down his neck.  
  
"Merle?" he asked as he turned around. She raised her ears somewhat so she could listen to him better.  
  
"Yes my love? Does something trouble you?" she asked.  
  
"Do you think we are too young to have children as old as they are? We were sixteen when we had Elis." he said with worry. She could tell by the look on his face that he was bothered about this.  
  
"We had them at the right time for us. Don't worry my love, I feel old too. But I don't regret Elis, or Kale. We are happy and they are happy. That's all that matters."  
  
Deep down, she was worried once about the same things, about how Van would judge her for becoming pregnant so soon. She adored her adoptive brother and Dorian enjoyed his company as well. Reaching down his chest, she started to unbutton is shirt and nuzzled his neck with a sultry purr.  
  
"Dorian...I haven't been made love to for a long time. Touch me..." she purred. He turned his chair around and smiled.  
  
"And if I don't?" he asked with a playful smirk. She sat on his lap, straddling his waist. Opening his soft blue shirt, she wandered her hands on his chest..  
  
"You'll have an angry, horny kitten for a wife. And I don't think you'll like that." she whispered. Brushing the short curly locks with her long protruded claws, she kissed the joint of his neck to his shoulder. He moaned and picked her up softly. She giggled as he put her down on the bed. He started with the ties in the front of her dress. She always felt like a whore in it because her breasts were almost overflowing in it but he loved it whenever she wore it. Taking off his shirt, she kissed the muscles on his upper arms and shoulder. With the top of her dress undone, he pulled the rest of the green dress over her head. She pulled the strings from the front of his pants and unbuttoned the top button. Her hand skimmed below that and felt him stiffen. Blushing, she returned to his pants.  
  
A loud knock echoed in the room. He growled in frustration. "What is it!" he yelled angrily.  
  
"There is an emergency meeting in five minutes. It's mandatory my lord." said a deep male voice. It was Cordius, his chief assistant and bodyguard. He sighed.  
  
"Oh okay...I'll be there, thank you." he said. Merle sighed and started to sit up but he pushed her down softly. "Where do you think you're going? I have five minutes." he said with a smirk.  
  
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She leaned into his chest and thought of what he said. All along, she was falling in love the sole man she hated in the world. Arnin, the head priest of the cathedral of Holy and the most powerful man in Earth. The irony of it all made her laugh a small laugh. Why did the gods pull this on her? What of Mondrael? She loved him too but being with Mondrael made her nervous of being caught, not a moment of ease at all. Arnin however...oh Arnin, she felt as if the world was so right even though it was slowly sinking into the sea.  
  
"Arnin...?" she asked with a sigh.  
  
"Yes Empress?" he replied with his soothing voice. She laid back into him and looked down.  
  
"Do you...care for me?" He paused before he gave his answer.  
  
"If I could give my life for you to be happy for the rest of your days, I'd do that." he said, caressing her cheek.  
  
They rode on until they landed on the highest mountain peak on the land. He eased his pyre into a soft landing and helped her off of it. Her feet felt wobbly and it took her a while to get used to walking. There was a long spiraling stairway to the top of the mountain and there was a large plateau at the peak. She remembered her mother birthing her on that very top. The things she could remember were scary but she learned to live with the knowledge and not to snoop too much into other people's lives. She loved to ask questions and have people answer them.  
  
The flat platform was filled with Draconians; all scuffed up and ragged like a bunch of derelicts. Her "father" was there, wearing the long silver royal robes of his time in rule. She could see a grave look on his face. They weaved in and out of the crowd to get to him.  
  
"We cannot just teleport us all to another continent. Asianatoria is too far for us all to get there. And the majority of the land will be flooded with the large tsunami that this continent will create when it sinks! I have not the power or the will to do such a thing. I suggest you just jump off of this very cliff and end it all quickly." he said with authority. He was too old to be doing any spells whatsoever. He stood tall on his proud but aging bones, his long snow-white beard trailing down to a bit off of the ground, the same with his hair.  
  
"Then send us to the continent. Use that daughter of yours and you will have enough power! You can't just let us die without trying!" said another old man, a tad bit younger than her father. He was dressed in a deep blue Greek-like robe.  
  
Her father was furious. "How dare you think of even sacrificing my daughter for you're selfish reasons for escape! What about the rest of us?! Do you propose that we sit here and drown while you all are happily wrecking another continent!? You and your entire race put shame on this planet and she is too angry with the likes of you living on her! We're in this mess because of you after all!" he boomed. Fire was emanating around him and everyone stood back.  
  
Inhestia stood forward. It seemed she was the only one standing there. She pulled down her hood and looked to her father with a soft smile. "Father, we can make another planet." she said.  
  
He looked to her curiously. "Another planet? What are you saying Inhestia? To do that, we would need more spiritual energy. And someone would have to give their soul to the planet to nourish it." said her father. She looked down. She knew it was stupid but she wanted to get everyone out of there. She couldn't bear to see death happen around her and her be the only one to survive.  
  
A soft hand clasped hers at her side. She looked up in bewilderment. Arnin smiled to her. It was one of those genuine smiles that people only give once in a lifetime, if they were lucky. Her courage strengthened.  
  
"I could nourish it father. All I need is some more energy and I could hide it so nobody would see it." she said. Her father shook his head.  
  
"No, no, we can't get enough energy in time." he said sadly. Arnin spoke up, his tactful voice loud yet calm.  
  
"We can use part of our life energy to create this world. If we give up our immortality, we can have enough power to have our hidden world." he said. The Draconian leader and the others of his kind went up in an uproar.  
  
"This is preposterous! How dare you even ask this of us?! We deserve our immortality and we rightfully earned it." Arnin gave an evil smirk.  
  
"Immortality won't save you from drowning. We could probably just settle on the moon and leave you here to figure out what you want." he said. All of the Draconians quieted themselves quickly.  
  
"Still, we can have another soul to nourish it Inhestia. You don't need to sacrifice yourself." said her father in a soft voice. She looked down and shed a tear.  
  
"It has to be me father." she said in a quiet voice. "I am the purest soul here and I have the power it takes to keep the planet clean and beautiful. There is no other way." Her father shook his head. Arnin looked to her sadly. They both knew that it was inevitable...that she would die to save their lives.  
  
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Hitomi stood next to Van. Everything was quiet. All of the priests were standing still, keeping the shield glowing and strong. The leader was dead, lying still and crumpled up beside the bed. Nakami was still in her death sleep, not a slight move from her. Van was unmoving from his position, keeping his thoughts locked into him as he stared on. It seemed like everything was at a standstill except for her and that shield. 'What is going to happen? Something is going to rise up, I can feel it.' she thought.  
  
Suddenly, like a break in the ice, Nakami's body arched off of the bed. Her eyes were open and staring blankly ahead of her. Piercing screams, blood curled and horrid, like a banshee, shot out of her throat. It chilled her blood and sent shivers up and down her spine. The shrieks weren't just in her ears; they burrowed deep into her brain, maddening. She ran towards the shield and to Nakami.  
  
She called out her name and almost reached her when a priest that was standing by, reached out and grabbed her. "Don't touch the shield! You can kill her! Don't you understand?!" he yelled to her as he struggled to keep her restrained. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she elbowed him and pushed him out of the way. He fell into a angry clump of black cloth on the ground an was yelling, "Stop her! Stop her before she touches the shield!"  
  
It was too late. As soon as a few began to turn, she reached out and grabbed the shield. Her entire body stood straight up. It seemed as if millions of children were screaming at her with accusations like, "What have you done?!", "You idiot you are killing the keeper!!!", and "The keeper will die because of you!!!". All of it bombarded her brain and she screamed in horror. She tried to grab her hands and press them to her head, to silence the haunting voices, but they were stuck onto the shield. The priests started to chant something long and repeating loudly and she heard the children laugh evilly. Her entire life was shooting in different directions and times in her mind and then a woman with long black hair and wearing a black silk Grecian dress had her back turned to her. She slowly turned and her entire eyes were a pitch black and stared at her with fear and accusation.  
  
"Burn!!!" it shrieked and pointed to her. The woman's skin melted off of her face and her body in a flash of flames and the rest of her smirked evilly. "You killed me Hitomi...now you shall see the hell you are bringing to Gaea." she said. Hitomi screamed and shook. The woman grabbed her by the throat and blood spurted out of her hand. Her eyes glazed over and turned pitch black, like the woman's.  
  
The shield shot out sparks and Nakami screamed even louder in agony as blood started to leak out of her body from various wounds. The priests were now yelling at the top of their voices, trying to keep the shield strong and to protect Nakami and heal her wounds. She was released and she stumbled back and fell. Warm hands caught her and she succumbed into a deathly sleep, one she wouldn't wake from again.  
  
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A/N: Oh my God!!!! This is getting sooooooooo good!!! You all have to give me a total of forty reviews or I'm stopping the fiction here. I'm just going with the flow and right now.the flow is really good. So what's going to happen now? Nakami is bleeding, Celena is by herself racing to Fanellia, the leader is dead and unable to revive, and Hitomi is trapped in an eternal nightmare of destruction and despair. Ooooh, I have to warn you all, I'm not going to make this story all hugs and kisses anymore, like I was going to. It got kinda boring and the darkness will keep it good. I'm sooooooooo sorry I am not being nice to Hitomi like I promised...it's just like something that she would do and I made her have the unforgivable consequences. Sorry. And if Nakami is acting like a total witch in the next chapters, I'm sorry about that too. It's my flow. I just go with it. Well, if no forty reviews, bye-bye to the next chapter. I'll just keep it all to myself and never share...EVER!!! HAHAHAHA!!!! Well, bye! PEACE!!! ( 


	7. Consequences

Disclaimer: Check the first chapter ...  
  
A/N: I am TOTALLY NOT HAPPY RIGHT NOW!!! I AM GETTING NOOOO REVIEWS!!!! THAT AND FF.NET IS NOT POSTING UP MY STORY AS HAVING NEW CHAPTERS!!! So for now. this story is on the edge of being deleted.not stopped in midway like my other stories.DELETED!!! I am soooo not happy with Fanfiction.net for their site being soooo slow...that, and the lack of reviews that are showing! I'm not mad at all of you that give me such wonderful and inspiring reviews, I'm mad at all of you that don't even review at all!!! Well, if you all want this story to continue, you can either: A) give me a nice review, or B) E-mail me if it doesn't work. I may sound stingy and witchy and all but I am really putting my best into this story and when it's getting at the good part...as you will see in this chapter, FF.NET IS SCREWING UP!!!!! *breathes* Well, please give me more reviews... at least a total of 45 reviews. I already have 35 so all I need is ten more. It would really make my day a lot better. Thank you and sorry I was yelling at you all. I'm a temperamental artist so you should understand my frustration. Sorry.  
  
  
  
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Chapter VII: Consequences  
  
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Hitomi woke up with a start. The dream she had was haunting and she was shaken to the bone. She sneezed and wiped her nose. A dusty bouquet of daisies, now dried, lay uncomfortably in her hands. A long white dress was dusty on her too. She sat up and looked around the room. All of it's once luxurious furnishings were filthy with the powder of age. Sneezing again, she patted her hair and a small cloud of dirt flew around her like a halo. "What in the world? I need a bath..." she said as she walked to the door.  
  
She jingled the handle but it remained steady. After a few minutes of struggling with the door, she abandoned it and looked for a window. There was a large one, white and beautiful, that was wide enough for her body to perfectly fit in. She shoved it open with a dusty creek and slipped out of it. The ridge there was about six inches wide and it was hard for her to scale on.  
  
"Okay Hitomi...one step at a time." she said reassuringly to herself as she slowly moved to the side. The sight of the long plummet below didn't scare her; she had flown with Van before in heights that would dwarf the large castle. All she was scared about is a guard seeing her and being shot. It was evening and she knew that it would be hard to spot her but she was still afraid of that.  
  
She went a little too quickly and she fell off of the ledge. Screaming, she suddenly hit a large balcony and a large pot fell on top of her. Dirt clouded over her and she heard a scrambling from someone inside of the room. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" demanded a female voice. "Answer me before I tell the king of your actions!" Hitomi pushed the now ruptured pot over her head and she rolled over, coughing up the soil.  
  
The woman gasped and brushed Hitomi off. "Hitomi? Is that you? Are you okay?" she asked. Hitomi blinked and looked at the woman. She had long, shoulder length platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes that looked to her in tenderness. After her fit of coughing, she regarded her.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked cautiously. The girl stumbled back in shock. She seemed saddened about her reaction and Hitomi cursed to herself. Tears edged her soft eyes in sadness from what she had said.  
  
"It's me Hitomi...It's Celena." she said in almost a plea. Hitomi felt relief wash over her that she found her friend instead of a guard or someone armed. When she didn't give a reply, Celena let a tear drop. "Hitomi...I thought you would never wake up." she said as she hugged her.  
  
"It's alright Celena; I remember you. But is there a way to take a shower. I woke up dusty and I fell in your pot and I'm kinda grimy right now." she said with a smile. Celena giggled a bit and lead her into the room. It was huge with a bed larger than she had ever seen, even the one she used to use. The sheets were thin and a soft red silk with a matching canopy. There was a huge set of twin armoires, each made of warm oak. She gazed in awe at the large painting of a horde of dragons on top of the fireplace. The fire was just starting to burn as the warmth of that and multiple candles laid softly in the room. Celena directed her to the bathroom and closed the door.  
  
It too was huge. In the middle of the soft turquoise room was a large pool like tub, about fifteen feet in diameter. That was all that mattered to her and she shred off her filthy clothes and jumped in. The warm and steamy water loosened her muscles and she relaxed. Washing with the soft scented soap, she realized she had more curves than she remembered. Her hips were wider and more evened out than before. Shrugging this off, she scrubbed herself off, the dirt making a nasty ring around her. 'I hope Celena won't be too upset at this.' she thought.  
  
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Hitomi and Celena walked down the halls quietly gossiping. Celena seemed to be older to her. Her skin was smooth and pale, like a porcelain doll. Her once childish yet serene eyes had changed into soft and wise blue eyes. She seemed more filled out but still petite. Her voice was soft and clear as she spoke with grace. "A lot has changed Hitomi. It's been years since you've fell into the sleep. Gaddes had died the same day you fell under. I've healed and I'm stronger now so there is no need to worry." she said with faraway sadness in her eyes.  
  
Before she could speak, a little boy ran crying towards them. A messily made bow and a small quiver of arrows were tied onto his back. His short silver hair blew in the wind while he ran. Hugging onto Celena's slender leg, he cried. She bent down and picked him up. "Hito...what's wrong my son?" she said as she wiped off his saline tears. He looked to her with wide red eyes that seemed to have fire within them.  
  
"I told you he hated me Mother!" he said in mid wail, hiccupping right after. She embraced him and rubbed his back gently. Hitomi was amazed at the boy. He looked like a mini-Dilandau. His hair was the same; his eyes were a different shade but still had the intensity, and his pale milk-white coloring. All of his appearances screamed the name Dilandau.  
  
"No he doesn't Hito. Tell me what happened." she said soothingly. He looked to Celena and wiped tears with a frustrated fist.  
  
" I was with him, we were practicing archery and I tried really hard but I couldn't even hit anything. He yelled at me and I kept trying again, but I couldn't hit anything at all. Then, he yelled at me and told me I'm useless and a shame to you...and ... and he said remented the fact I was born!" he said and burst out in tears again, burying his face into her neck.  
  
Celena looked to Hitomi and sighed. "I'm so sorry Hitomi. This is my son Hitoshi. Do you mind if we have to put him to bed, he's really distraught right now and he needs some sleep." she said, rocking her son.  
  
Hitomi blinked. "Um, sure. I have no problem at all." she replied nervously. Celena nodded and lead the way back to the living section of the castle, towards the royal quarters.  
  
She thought during the whole walk. 'Celena has a son? He looks so much like Dilandau. Time must have flown by; he looks to be five years old.' she thought, though she couldn't concentrate because of the child's wailing. They got to a large room decorated in red and silver. Sitting her son on the bed, Celena went through the armoire and pulled out his soft silver nightclothes. Starting to change him, he shook his head and smiled to her.  
  
"I'll do it Mommy. I'm fine." he said softly as he pulled off his shirt. He pulled his long-sleeved shirt on and looked up to Hitomi. "Who is this?" he asked curiously.  
  
Celena sat on the bed and replied, "Her name is Hitomi. She is the one I tell you about." He studied her and shrugged.  
  
"Nice to meet you Hitomi." he said. His voice was weirdly mature for his age and he spoke with such clear charisma. She figured that Celena must have taught him in his speaking.  
  
She bowed and smiled. "Nice to meet you too young Hitoshi." she said with all of the charisma she could muster. Unfortunately, her mother never taught her how to speak but then again, she never lived in a castle as a child.  
  
Hitoshi nodded and changed his shorts to a pair of longer silver pants. Jumping into bed, his mother tucked him in softly and kissed his forehead. "Mommy, do you still love me?" he asked with the silent hint of innocence in his voice. She beamed and brushed the messy bangs once again away from his face.  
  
"I will love you forever Hitoshi. No matter what you do, no matter what trouble you bring, no matter what the days bring us, I will always love you." she said. He reached up and kissed her soft cheek and settled himself in his bed.  
  
Before drifting off into sleep, he sighed, "Me too."  
  
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Later on that night, they moved into a large bedroom. They sat in the small- adjoined room, used for the personal reading room. Celena sat across from Hitomi on a red lined chair. They were talking about random things when there was a loud slam in the other room. "Celena!" yelled a masculine voice with a hint of anger.  
  
She jumped up and walked quickly. "I'm coming!" she said. Turning back to Hitomi, she said, "Stay here and keep quiet. I don't want people to know you're awake yet." she said and rushed out of the room. The door slammed closed and she listened closely to hear what happened.  
  
"Yes Van?" asked Celena with perfect poise.  
  
Hitomi blinked. 'Van? Is that Van?' she thought as she silently crept over to the door and looked in the crack. Sure enough, she could see Van. He was taller, more muscular and his hair was exceedingly longer and grew unruly down his shoulders to brush at his high back. Basically, he looked wilder and still very handsome. He seemed upset at something and he ran a hand through his wild hair.  
  
"Celena, where is Hitoshi? I need to talk to him." he said, trying visibly to calm down.  
  
"He's sleeping, the poor thing. Honestly Van, why do you do this to him? He's just a child. Van..." she started as she walked over to him and hugged him. "...he isn't supposed to be perfect now. He has fifteen more years until he has to be king. Don't make him into you."  
  
He pulled away from her. "What do you mean 'he's not like me?' I'm trying to teach him incase of an emergency. Fanellia won't be all happy forever and we do have enemies." he said annoyed.  
  
"But Van..." Celena started but he cut her off.  
  
"And by the way you're babying him, he's only going to end up smelling the flowers than building and maintaining an empire that can withstand the Dunes. You're softening him up!" he said.  
  
"He's just a child Van! Can't you get it? He doesn't want to be like you. If you take his childhood away, he'll end up breaking!" she said. Her voice was starting to get a sharp edge to it from anger.  
  
"And stop saying 'like me' Celena! What is so horrible about me? I've raised Fanellia from its ashes and now it's the most powerful country in all of Gaea! WE are the only ones who can sustain ourselves and erect the Protect against the Dunes! How is being like me something bad?!" he yelled.  
  
"I'll tell you Van! You're cold to others! You disrespect all that's around you! You hurt your son and all he does is try to please you Van! He's five-years-old! You expect things that only a grown man can do!" she said, voice wavering.  
  
"Then he needs to grow up! By you INSIST on babying him and he's never going to be able to take care of the responsibilities of being a king! And I DENY that that...that DEMON-thing is even my child!" he yelled.  
  
Celena slapped him. "Don't you EVER deny our son Van!! It's not our fault that Hitomi touched the shield and never woke up!! Why do you insist on punishing us on what we never even wanted to happen!! Hitomi's gone Van!! She's not going to come back to you!!!" she yelled.  
  
He hit her. Celena shrieked and fell where stood. He looked down to her in anger. "DON'T YOU EVER BRING HITOMI INTO THIS!!!" he yelled. The doors shook and Hitomi leaned on the wall next to her scared. She had never seen Van so angry as to hit a person, and to hit them so hard either. A door slammed violently and all she could hear was frantic crying.  
  
She silently opened the door and walked into the bedroom. Celena was hunched over, holding her cheek and crying. She hugged her weeping friend and let her cry on her shoulder. "Celena...you're so strong." she said as she rubbed her back gently. Pulling away, she kept her head down.  
  
"You have to be strong when everything around you if falling apart." she said. She smirked. "I guess that that is what Dilandau gave me." she continued. "I hope you don't hate me Hitomi... for being Van's queen. For bearing his child."  
  
She shook her head and smiled down to her. "No... I think you should hate me for being so foolish. I'm sorry." she said. Celena looked up to Hitomi. She had a large developing bruise on her porcelain cheek. It was bleeding and she knew there would be a scar. Shuddering, Celena smirked.  
  
"And everyday, my hate for him grows even more. If only I had a dagger with me...mmmmm that's it. But he would die. I would like it though." she said in a low voice. Hitomi was starting to get worried.  
  
"Celena? Are you okay? You're not making any sense." she asked. She looked up to her and smirked evilly.  
  
"Au contraire Hitomi, he makes me so mad sometimes. Just to have my hands around his neck and him begging for his pathetic life." she said in a long psychotic voice. She looked at her hand and studied the blood there. It stood out on her white and thin hands. Celena chuckled at this. "Oh drat...now I have a scar. Tsk tsk, now I have another. Van has to be careful. Yes...I'll give him one he'll never forget." she said slow and in a continuous low tone.  
  
Celena stood up and hugged her. "Celena? What's wrong with you?" she asked nervously. The fragile woman leaned over to her and whispered slowly into her ear.  
  
"Take Hitoshi and go warn Van. Tell him I'm emerging and to have guards lock this door. Hurry Hitomi." she whispered. This was the Celena she knew, the funny and soft Celena. She pushed Hitomi away and smirked. Hitomi scrambled up and ran out.  
  
She heard mad laughing behind her and she ran even harder. First, she went to the place she knew where it was. She rapped on the door and ran in. The little boy turned over to her tiredly and rubbed his eyes. "Huh? Oh it's you Hitomi. Where's Mother?" he asked drowsily. She pulled back the covers and picked Hitoshi up.  
  
"There's something not right about you're mother and she told me to take you somewhere safe." she said as she proceeded to run out and into the halls once again. He just nodded and fell back asleep in her arms. She ran past many corridors. Many of the guards and servants paused and stood in shock yelling, "Lady Hitomi! She lives!" 'No time to politely say hi, I have to find Van.' she thought.  
  
She ran into the throne room and saw no one inside. The guards there just panicked and let her in. All of it was eerily expanse and empty. It was dark and the only light they received was the flame of candelabras. She placed Hitoshi on the plush red carpet at the foot of the king's throne. As she turned around, she saw Van in the corner of the room. His bright red eyes were wide in shock as he sputtered out her name.  
  
"Oh Van. We can't just stand here now, something's wrong with Celena." she said as she ran to him. He blinked and made a worried face.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"She just started freaking out about wanting to kill you and she told me to take Hitoshi to you and lock her doors. Something about her emerging." she said scared. He paled and he ran out the doors. "Where are you going Van?!" she yelled but he was already gone.  
  
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Hitomi POV   
  
Celena was dead. She died trying to fight Dilandau. Van had seen it all and was powerless to stop it. I was called in after it was figured to be safe. He held onto her and was crying softly. Never in my life had I thought I would witness him doing this. Her soft face was resting in the crook of his neck; the blood dripping from her mouth was starting to stain his skin. The large stab wound from the dagger she had supposedly stabbed into her was gruesome, staining her pale blue dress a horrid fuchsia.  
  
Poor young Hitoshi was shocked when he first came in. He had screamed and I held him back from running up to his mother. After a bit of struggling against me, he now hugged onto me and was crying with me. It must be so hard for him; he lost the only one who cared for him.  
  
Van was just as heartbroken as Hitoshi, if not more so. His wife had died and he, nor anyone else, could change it. I'm still disappointed that he had made Celena his queen instead of me but I'm still glad that he had such a kind and gentle woman to be his wife.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I stand with Van in the royal cemetery. We, and everyone else are decked out in black. Hitoshi is holding a small bouquet of chrysanthemums, Celena's favorite. He had told me last night that he was scared. "With Mother gone, all I have is Father and he's always frustrated with me. If something happens to him, I will have to become King young like Father was. I don't want to be alone." he said before.  
  
I think about that and the Draconian curse. Things seem to fit in with it. Van's father died five years after Van was born. Celena died five years after Dilandau had been born. It's cruel how when you finally find your few fragile strands of happiness and it is crushed before you have the chance to enjoy it. Van kneels down to Celena's grave and kisses hand and places it on the turned dirt where her body is buried. "May you find peace my queen." he says sadly.  
  
The so-called Protect looms over Fanellia. The capital was the only thing that could be saved from the destruction outside. It is a large blue shield that blocks anything from coming in or out of it. A horde of Dune-lords had attacked the shield strongly last week, the day after the death of Celena and the Protect was weakening.  
  
Van had to call all of the people that could in the nearest villages to rush into Fanellia. After half a day, he had another smaller Protect to encircle the capital and some of the farmlands that they would need to sustain themselves. He lowered the larger one and the Fanellians that didn't make it were slaughtered. She had begged Van to wit a little longer but he had told her that if he did, the entire of Fanellia would be at risk.  
  
The Dune-lords had arranged their strength around the Protect and camped there. Dune-lords are captured souls that are controlled by the Dune, the Claim-drifters that were created by the Draconians to keep fate in balance. They had taken over Freid, Ispano, Cesario, Daedalus, Austuria, Zaibach, and many of the smaller countries as well. The royalties had fled for their lives to Fanellia, the power spot that was able to create the Protect.  
  
Merle had been caught by them and was killed by the shield. Millerna and Allen had barely escaped with their lives. Chid was missing and they had no whereabouts of his location. Dryden was in the Ispano floating fortress with his son, the heir of the fallen Austuria. They had been packed in and Millerna wasn't able to go with them. So Dryden had gone to Earth and left his wife here in Fanellia.  
  
I had been here for a week and a couple days and it's been an uncomfortable week. This all wouldn't have happened if I hadn't touched the shield. I wouldn't have blacked out for years, Nakami wouldn't have died, Van wouldn't have the pain, Celena wouldn't have died, Merle and the others wouldn't have died, the Dune wouldn't have come and swept up innocent people to correct the Earth, and Hitoshi wouldn't have to fall into the same events as Van. All of this seemed to be my fault. It was my entire fault.  
  
Van and I walk back into the castle and into his study. He takes his coat off and rests it on his chair. "Hitomi, I know this is not the time since it's so near after Celena's death and all. I still mourn for her, you should know that." he said, pulling open his drawer and placing old and outdated papers on the desk. He seemed to find what her wanted and motioned me to come over to the table. I walked to him and he still sat in his chair.  
  
Enveloping his hands around mine, he opened them and deposited something into them. He let them go and revealed a warm gold ring with a large red gem in the middle. "Hitomi, will you please marry me. Fanellia needs a queen now in these turbulent times and you would be perfect to fill it in. Please, Hitoshi likes you and I really need you Hitomi. Please." he begged. I was speechless and gave him the answer that he and I would approve on.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I walked down the long aisle slowly. Every one was looking at me in happiness, a few in jealousies. I ignore this and look to the handsome king I'm to be marrying. He looks so happy and I smile back to him. We stand at the altar together and listen to the priest droning on about love and vows of eternal love. All I do is look into Van's eyes and he gives me a reassuring smile.  
  
"Van Fanel...will you accept and honor your queen? Will you care for her and lay your life for her?" the old man said. He looked to me and nodded.  
  
"Yes I will." he said with a smile. Van seemed so much older, worn is the word.  
  
"Hitomi Kanzaki...will you accept and honor your king? Will you care for him and lay your life for him? asked the old man.  
  
Nakami stood behind Van. She draped her arms around him and looked to me. Smiling, everything slowed to a halt. Van didn't notice a thing as he started to slow. I looked around. The once colorful and festive room was now drab and gray. My friend looked to the still Van and traced a finger down his cheek.  
  
"He suffers so much Hitomi. His wife is dead. The country won't survive the end of your wedding night, and his son has been murdered just now. Can you see him in the crowd Hitomi?" she asked.  
  
I look to the front row where he is supposed to be. He is missing. Where is he? Suddenly, he runs down the aisle to me. He is in color and he runs to me with his arms wide. "Hitomi! I almost didn't make it!" he yelled happily as he ran up the steps. I bend down and am ready to receive him but he passes through me. His once solid form turns into a ghost like consistency. He looks to me from the other side. His eyes are wide and glazed over. A barrage of stab wounds was all over his chest and stomach, blood oozing out of each of them. "Please Hitomi, stop the hurting. It hurts me." he said ghostly.  
  
Shrieking, I backed away. "Hitoshi!!" I yelled.  
  
"Why did you touch my shield? Why did you kill me?" said Nakami as she hugged Van's back softly. She was nude and her body was glowing softly. She looked to him with a loving gaze. "You could have...prevented all of this suffering, the pain. You can see it in his eyes can you not?" she said. She traced her finger down his cheek again as he kept his frozen gaze to me.  
  
This wasn't Nakami. Nakami wasn't like this at all; she was happy and joyous, and sarcastic. "Who are you? You aren't Nakami." I say in an accusatory voice. She looks to me and smiles.  
  
"I am Inhestia, daughter of Geladine the moon maiden and Slantier the sun possessor. The same name that Van possesses as well. I am the keeper of the moons and sun. I was to be reincarnated in my rebirth body. You may know her as Nakami. She is useless to me. But, with your incredulous action of touching the life shield, you have killed my body and I can no longer claim back the planet Gaea. The man Dornkirk's machine of fate has made all of Gaea's destinies skewed. If I was able to be reborn into Gaea and take over the destinies, many lives could have been saved. Many sorrows wouldn't have passed for years to come."  
  
"The Cellonians and the Draconians made a deal with the gods on that fateful day. If I took my part in keeping and correcting the fate of Gaea, we would be bestowed with boundless pleasures. But... if we had failed in the upkeep, they would send the Claim-drifters, or as you call them, the Dunes and the Dune-lords. They would swallow up every soul they would find and Gaea would be destroyed, to become another moon." she said, the last two sentences she said in a dark and sad voice. She let go of Van and walked up to me. Hugging me, she whispered into her ear softly.  
  
"But I will give you another chance Hitomi. I will send you back to the starting line and you must never talk about your experiences here with anyone. It can alter the fate of Gaea and will make what you see here happen. I'm risking Gaea to give you this chance Gaea. I could just go back and have you killed prior. But I like you Hitomi, and I like Van. He's deserves better than this don't you think?" she said and pulled back.  
  
"What about Hitoshi? What will happen to him? He won't exist will he?" I said, looking back at the little boy who was now on the floor, dead, probably looking the way he would be when someone finds him. "He doesn't deserve this. He's a sweet boy." I said. Inhestia looks to me and smiles.  
  
"He may appear again. You are such a kind woman Hitomi. You will learn of the part you play in this prophecy soon." she started to float up and time started again. Everything was in color too. I am back to the spot I started at and Van looks to me with love. I start to cry. I am to be leaving him soon. He is such a sad and poor soul. His son is dead in a hall somewhere and I will be leaving soon. And he will be killed along with his people in this very room before nightfall.  
  
"I'm sorry Van..." I whisper. I can feel something fuzzy growing inside of me. He blinks in shock.  
  
"What are you saying Hitomi?" he said in a whisper. I let a tear drip down my face.  
  
"I'm so so sorry." The tear hits the floor and a red beam of light shoots up into the sky. Everyone screams and the guards start charging towards us. The priest starts to move away from us scared. Van starts to panic.  
  
"No! You can't do this to me Hitomi!" he said and starts to run to me. I am lifting and I feel more tears falling down. Inhestia holds me from behind.  
  
"It's better this way Van!" I yell. He reaches my hand and is starting to come with me.  
  
"You can't leave me here by myself! Please, don't go Hitomi!" he says. Tears are starting to fall from his cheeks. It breaks my heart to see him so frantic, to save this lat bit of peace he can have before it snaps.  
  
Inhestia flared behind me. 'You have to let him go. He can't go back with us. Van already has a soul and it will corrupt our plan.' she yelled in mental thought. I look back down to him. We were far up into the room, probably fifteen feet up. She lays a golden glowing hand on mine and shook her head. 'Let him go...'  
  
I lose his touch and he starts to plummet. He yells to me and is caught by the guards in a clunky mess. He releases his wings and flies up to me, his hand stretched out. I look to him emotionless. This is for the best is my mantra. "Hitomi!!! HITOMI!!! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!!! I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE!!!" he yells.  
  
'I'm proud of you Hitomi.' whispers Inhestia into my mind. I shake my head and say the last thing he will hear from me. "I love you Van..." My bouquet falls. No one catches it.  
  
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A/N: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! That was sooooooooo sad!!! I love this chapter!!! He he! Well, If you guys love this story, you need to review and send some good one!!! He he!!! All I need is 45! 50 will make it come out so much faster! Oh yeah, and the painting of Van has a small role in it too. Well, I hope you like the chapter. I had to rush it a bit because it was lagging. This one was to show what would have happened after Hitomi had touched the Life shield. And, I forgot to put it in but Van really did love Celena in the end. He doesn't now in the present but in the thing that Hitomi was in he learned to love her. Van's not an abuser, it's just one of those days when you really get upset and you just act. And Hitomi had a time of being in the dark future for two months. A week passed when Celena was buried and about two months until the wedding ceremony. Well, Bye! REVIEW OR FICCY BYE BYE!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
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	8. Life, Death, and a girl named Fanellia

Disclaimer: I don't care what this is!! If you really need it, then check out the first chapter if you want.  
  
A/N: WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I'm actually getting reviews from people!!! OH yeah!! I'm really gonna write now!!! Well, to answer your questions, Does Van love Celena now? Hmmm... well, I would say no but I am thinking that it would be a nice plot twist. Well, I can say that he doesn't now but I can't guarantee that he won't in the future. No intended foreshadowing though. And Hitomi was seeing the dark future if she did touch the shield. Don't understand me? Well, let's see what happens shall we? He He.  
  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter VIII: Life, Death, and a Girl Named Fanellia  
  
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It had been the worst form of torture that could be created for her. She stood at the track. Amano held her pendant, ready to swing. "Are you ready Kanzaki?" he yelled. This was the fourth time he said that. The second time she apologized to Yukari just happened too. In her mind, she cursed to Inhestia. Instead of sending her back to the point when she touched the shield, she sent her all the way back to the first day of her freshman year. She had to tread softly and do everything over, exactly over. It was hard for the first month but she finally made it to Gaea and came back.  
  
"Go!" he yelled and let the pendant swing. She jumped up and ran as fast as her thin body could. All she thought about was reaching Van. Pretending to care about Amano and Allen made her sick to her stomach. Especially when Allen kissed her on the bridge. She felt like she was going to hurl but put on a show. It was like a recurring nightmare when she saw Van standing there, his eyes filled with sadness. Tears wanted to flow but she knew that it had to be kept in. When she got back to the room, she cried her heart out. All of the hurt she was giving him and she hadn't known before was tearing at her heart.  
  
A familiar blue light shone out ahead of her. A large dragon armor landed slowly and the pilot looked around. "Van!" she yelled with all of her heart. He turned to her and the rest of the time just passed by. She was a long way from being halfway done and it would be so long until she would be able to go back to loving her king the way she used to.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
They were in a large wood-like area. Escaflowne loomed overhead, its magnificent aura showered all over the place. Huge gravestones were there too, but farther along. She smiled as he walked with her, hand in hand, her head resting on his shoulder. This was something she loved in their past of togetherness. Just the feeling of being with him satisfied her and she smiled happily. "What are you smiling about Hitomi?" he asked.  
  
She shook her head and nuzzled his shoulder. "I'm smiling about us. About how long it took for us to finally be together." she said. 'I'm supposed to cry now, I remember that.' she though as she thought of the sadness Van had gone through in the dark future. That worked and now she stopped, shaking with tears. He turned to her in concern. Embracing her, he let her cry on his shoulder.  
  
"Oh Hitomi. Don't cry. I'm with you now, everything is going to be alright." he said in a soft voice, rubbing her back. She shook her head and buried her face into his neck. This was her favorite memory about them before she had come back to Gaea the last time when they were older. He gently pulled her back and looked into her tearful eyes. She knew they were red and she yet again hated the fact that she cried in front of him. He tilted her chin so she could look to him. "Don't cry Hitomi, it hurts me." he said sincerely with a smile.  
  
"I'm sorry Van. I just am so worried about losing you again and I..." she started but was unable to finish her sentence. He pulled her thin body up to him and drew her in for a kiss. She jumped at the sudden change of actions then wrapped her arms around his neck. Releasing from the long kiss, they stood there and lingered for a while in the feeling of their first kiss.  
  
After he caught his breath, he smiled one of his rare million-dollar smiles and hugged her tightly. "You talk to much Hitomi." she said and stroked her short hair. Giggling, she nuzzled his neck and placed a small and playful kiss there, earning a moan from him. He pulled her far enough from him to look to her with a questioning look in his face. A slight blush was garnished on his cheeks and she giggled to him, walking ahead a few yards.  
  
"Are you coming or not?" she asked playfully ash she turned back to him. Wiping the shocked and confused look off of his face and ran up to her quickly. Nodding, he grabbed her hand and the proceeded along on their little walk.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
The days were cooler and her heart was icy. She felt more and more like a freak everyday. Everyone said she was delusional and was probably smoking something to make her this way. Yukari didn't believe her and she was frustrated that she wouldn't even believe her own best friend. They had a huge fight and Yukari ended up yelling that she is so pathetic that she is making up imaginary boyfriends because she couldn't be able to get a real one herself. She blew up on her and they never spoke to each other again.  
  
Hitomi sighed and sat at the table in the cafeteria. Being the only one at that table, or in a one table radius of hers, she looked down at her pathetic lunch of pink rice balls and teriyaki chicken. It was boring and she gave up going on her weekly spurts to the cafeteria. Even the lunch ladies seemed to be frightened of her and they talked about her when she left. Everybody did. She didn't really mind anymore though. It has been a year since she left Gaea and she was still as lonely as she was when she had friends.  
  
"I'm sorry you are suffering so much Hitomi. I wish I could do something to ease it all for you." said her handsome king as he sat on the bench across the table. She started to tear up and buried her face into her hands. "Oh Hitomi. Don't cry. You know it hurts me." he said as he stood up and walked over to her, through the table as if it were nothing there and sat next to her. He hugged her softly and she could smell the scent of the fields again.  
  
"I just can't Van. It's so hard. I can't take it anymore. Everyone thinks I'm crazy." she said as she continued to cry hard. She had her cell phone in her hand so she could pretend that she was talking on the phone. He smiled an angelic smile to her and kissed her cheek. A warm sensation was left there even though she couldn't feel the soft feel of it at all.  
  
"Are you crazy Hitomi? Did you make me and all of Gaea up?" he asked softly. She shook her head and whispered out her answer.  
  
"No Van. I just wish I could be with you again. I miss the feel of being in Fanellia. Can't you take me back Van?" she asked with a teary expression. He looked down with a frown and shook his head. The pendant on his neck had long ago turned a dead black, like a dull obsidian. It hung heavily at his chest and he gripped it with hope. It refused to shine and a tear trickled down his cheek.  
  
"I can't. You know how much I want to take you back Hitomi. All I want to do is to take you back and love you and take care of you and make you my one and only queen. I want you to be the mother of my children and I want to die with you by my side and be greeted with your presence in heaven. But I just can't Hitomi. Everyday I try and try until I fall to my knees in exhaustion but I can't bring you back to me. All I can get from the pendant is that there is another key that will bring you back. I've sent my guards far and wide but they haven't found anything that has the power to bring here to me." he said as tears flowed freely from his sad face.  
  
Suddenly his face took an alarmed appearance and he quickly looked around the cafeteria. She knew he couldn't see anyone but a black void, herself, and a table and she didn't see most of his surroundings either whenever she tried to contact him. Standing up, he growled ferociously. "Someone is in here. They tapped into our connection." he said. He looked down to her and calmed the emotions on his face as he traced a finger down her cheek. "I have to go. Goodbye my love." he said and walked out the side and through the crowd and disappeared.  
  
Her heart sunk as he left. Something was terribly wrong and it scared her to see Van act so feral. Putting down her phone, she picked up her chopsticks and started to eat her lunch. A school case was set onto the table and the owner sighed as she sat down. "Hey! I hope you don't mind if I sit here do you. I'm new at this school and all of the other seats were packed and I didn't want to be by myself." she said with a giggle. Hitomi looked at the teenager curiously. Her hair was a perfect ebony and flowed down her shoulders in perfect waves. Burgundy eyes looked to her with cheeriness and her slightly tanned skin glowed a nice bronze color. She looked like what she would imagine Van's sister to look like if he had one.  
  
"Do you know who I am?" she asked the new girl questioningly with a small hint of anger in her voice. The girl shrugged casually and began to unpack her lunch.  
  
"You're Hitomi Kanzaki, the school freak who raves on about imaginary worlds and stuff. Yeah, and your point is?" she said and started to eat her meal of a Big Mac and some fries. They seemed hot and Hitomi was puzzled about it. There wasn't a McDonalds for miles in the inner city but it looked as if she just went and bought it from down the street. She noticed her staring and held out her burger. "You can have a bite if you want." she said.  
  
"Oh, no thanks. Why aren't you scared and conspiring against me?" asked Hitomi as she ate a bit of rice. The girl laughed and her perfect black waves bounced amusingly.  
  
"I don't believe that crap. And besides, people have to believe in something." she said, her last sentence said with sincerity. She smiled to Hitomi and ate her food. "Hey, I know your name but I haven't even given you mine. My name is Nakami Fanellia ei Takahara. Pleased to make your acquaintance." she said.  
  
Hitomi jumped back at her name. Her middle name was Fanellia? It was creepy to her and she shuddered. What was her relation to Van? How did she get the name? All of these questions were bubbling up inside of her but she decided to keep them inside for now. She didn't want to scare away a potential friend and she felt at ease with her. "Um, Nakami, how did you get your middle name of Fanellia?" she asked, wanting to get at least a small answer for that matter.  
  
She stuffed the rest of the burger in her mouth and held up her index finger for her to wait. Swallowing it soundlessly, she smiled and picked up her perspiring coke. "Oh, well, my mother's former fiancée had a tale about him and his sister living in a beautiful kingdom called Fanellia. Her name was Varcy. Valie. Vakrey." she said as she tried to guess out the name.  
  
"Was it Varie?" she asked. Nakami nodded happily and clicked her fingers.  
  
"That's it. I have such a bad memory but her name was Varie and she married a king named Go-ow?" she said.  
  
"Goau. Goau Fanel." said Hitomi. The girl blinked. "I'm a psychic." she added in, relieving the girls suspicious look.  
  
"Yeah, well, he lived there and was lost in a blue light and appeared on Earth. My mother had been driving on the interstate by here and she saw him out in the rain and brought him in to her house. The rest is history. And when my mother was pregnant with me, he told her to name me after the place he went to. So that's it." she said. The bell rang and Nakami stood up.  
  
"I have three classes a day so I guess this is it Nakami." she said. Nakami beamed and laughed.  
  
"I have the same. And I come back for and extra class at six tonight. Do you want to hang out with us?" she asked as she tried to finish her fries.  
  
"Huh? Your friends?" she asked in confusion. Nakami nodded in a mouthful of fries.  
  
"I do have friends too ya know." she said.  
  
"I don't have any friends, everyone is scared of me." said Hitomi sadly.  
  
"You have me! Come on! We are going to Sky Riders." she said tugging on her arm. Hitomi blinked as she was dragged by the ever fast Nakami. Sky Riders was a huge skate park by the beach. It had rollercoasters and lots of fun things like that. All of the popular and hot guys from the school basically ruled there and some of the attractive foreign boys went there too. She stopped on her heels and Nakami jolted to a halt.  
  
She looked to Hitomi with a slightly angry look. "Hitomi? What's wrong? I don't want to be late and all." she said. She shook her head and Nakami understood. "Hitomi... they won't judge you. You're with me remember? I practically own the group so whatever I say goes. I'll stick with you okay?" she said with a sign and grabbed her hand. Hitomi smiled and continued along with her.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
She rolled to her side in bed. It was midnight but sleep just wouldn't come to her. Standing up, she hopped over Nakami, who lay peaceful in sleep on a cot below her, and made her way to the desk. Lately everything has been going great for her. All of Nakami's friends had taken her in happily after a short speech from Nakami. They had been hanging out all school year and during the winter break. A really attractive guy named Eriol had just asked her out on a date that afternoon. The entire date was a blast and she really ended up having feelings for him. Nakami had gone on and on about how sweet it was when they had a goodnight kiss.  
  
That thought struck her like a lightning bolt. She had been having the time of her life all along and she forgot all about Van. Even worse, she thought she saw feathers when he dropped her off and kissed her. Sitting down on the chair, she closed her eyes and tried to contact him. The connection felt cold and wet, like the feel after a gloomy rain. She shivered and shook herself to warm up her freezing body. 'Van? Let me see you. Why is it so cold here?' she asked in her mind. It used to be warm and cozy when she tried to each him but now it was uncomfortably icy and she was scared.  
  
He sat off in the distance, his feet in a pool of water. She ran up to him happily, relieved that he wasn't dead. As she almost reached him, he disappeared and re-appeared farther on, standing and looking up to the sky. "Just leave me alone Hitomi. I don't want to feel cold anymore." he said sadly. In his hand was a necklace with a large red stone, sharpened and somewhat worn.  
  
"Van, what are you saying? What happened?" she asked as she stood there. He turned to her sadly, a tear falling down his cheek. Looking back down, he smiled sadly to the necklace.  
  
"Merle's gone. She left and she's not coming back." he said sadly and held the nail file close to him. It turned to dust in his hands and he gasped. "No!" he said as he tried to catch the dust as it flew away. Hitomi walked up to him and hugged him from behind. Her now chin length hair blew in his face softly. "You've left me too. I saw you." he said sadly.  
  
She pulled back and looked to him in shock. Guilt rushed up into her veins and all she could do was panic. "I haven't left you Van. I really didn't... oh I'm so sorry Van." she said as she tried to hug him again. He pushed her away abruptly and looked to her with sorrow-filled eyes. "Van...?" she asked.  
  
He shook his head and turned away from her. "I don't want to hurt anymore. I'm tired of the pain and whenever I let someone in and I care about them, they always leave me. And I keep hurting." he said and looked back to her. "Don't you see Hitomi? We aren't meant to be together. That's why we are apart. I don't want to keep holding on when the inevitable is staring us in the face. My heart tells me it's best for us, it's best for me to be alone for the entirety of my life." he said sadly.  
  
Hitomi knew he was hurting as he said this. It stuck her like an icy blade too. But weirdly, it made sense to what he was saying. They were fighting a war that would overcome them in time and she knew that if they let it go now, they wouldn't have so many casualties. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she smiled sadly. "I guess this is it...huh Van? After enduring the war and the changing of fate and all, we've decided to give up at a battle so trivial that the people who died for our love would be rolling in their graves? That Folken would curse us and deny any relation to you? I guess that after all you have done, all of the time your guards an huntsmen spent on finding the second key, you would make it all in vain? And all the love I gave you, you would just turn it down over something so ridiculously stupid? I understand your thoughts. It's clear to me now." she said while shaking in anger.  
  
"But I still love you Hitomi. But I have a kingdom and I need to attend to what's best for my people. I have responsibilities. They need a queen and an heir and you aren't here to give them to me. And I do think about it all Hitomi, night and day I think about the war and what we have been through. Can't you understand me Hitomi? I do care." he said and tried to pull her in for a kiss.  
  
She slapped him hard, his cheek giving a small droplet of blood, slowly turning into a minute river. He held his cheek and looked at the smear of blood in his hand. Hitomi was choking on tears as she glared to him, the most horrible rage anyone could hope to express was in her eyes. "I may care about you Van but I'm not a pawn! I'm not someone to just waltz in and bear your worthless children! You can get one of your little street whores to do that for you! I know how you look at women as you pass them in the street! Don't think that I'm some stupid broad that doesn't keep up on the person that I care about! I don't understand how I could EVER come to love a sick and disgusting sexist bastard who only thinks of women as people who put themselves at your feet and lay with you in your bed! I can understand that you may be a little partial to this belief as Gaea is already screwed up in their views but you are like the poster model for the woman-using bastards everywhere! And you can't hide behind your kingdom with every decision that you make! All you will learn is that it will crumble around you and you will be alone! I do understand you and I am not regretting this at all. I will go on and enjoy my life and bask in the fact that I'm not your wretched bed slave! I've never felt more happier about the fact that I left you and I won't EVER regret my actions of leaving you now! Goodbye Van Fanel and don't you EVER speak to me again! I'll make your life a living hell!" she fumed.  
  
The last thing she saw from him was a scared, sad, and regretful look on his face. "Hi-Hi-Hitomi! Wait! I'm sorry! I do love..." was all she got from him as she abruptly severed the connection. The jolt of it all shook her and gave her a painful migraine. Hate was all she felt as she buried her face in her hands and cried angrily. The thought of Van sickened her. Just the knowing he had ever touched her made her want to hurl. "That pig, that mother fucking pig..." she cursed as she looked up to the once treasure she had on the edge of the table.  
  
I was in a long glass box, a pure white feather. That day, before she left, he had given her a feather when they took their last flight around the countryside. She always loved it and would open it softly to caress its downy texture. Picking up her empty trash can, she picked up the case and all and laid it neatly on the bottom. His shirt was next. He sent it to her for her birthday a while back and she vowed never to wear it because she loved the way it smelled of him. She picked it out of a box in the closet and stuffed it in. Picking up her tarot cards, she looked at it in consideration. Her grandmother had given them to her as a gift and she didn't want to destroy something that he didn't give to her. Changing her clothes into a new set of tank pajamas, she stuffed her old ones into the mess as well, knowing in her mind he had dirtied them by touching it.  
  
Quietly creeping out of her room, so as not to wake Nakami, she walked out of the house and into the backyard. Luckily her brother Mamoru had accidentally burnt down a section of the grass a few weeks ago. Grabbing some lighter fluid and matches, she pours the hell water over the mess of clothes and trinkets and struck her match. As she was about to drop it in, a hand touched her shoulder, making her jump and setting it out.  
  
"Mother, what are you doing here? I thought you were in bed." she said as she looked to her in fear. Her mother smiled and shook her head.  
  
"You sneak around like an elephant. You better practice on that." she replied to her daughter. Face saddening, she sighed. "I heard you Hitomi. When you were talking to him."  
  
Hitomi nearly jumped out of her skin and looked down. "Sorry about my language mother, I was just angry." she said.  
  
"It was perfectly needed in the situation. You blew it off with him, didn't you?" she asked. Her daughter shook and hugged her. She wrapped her arms around her and shook her head as Hitomi repeated 'It's not my fault' and 'He's just a jerk.' "I knew that this was going to happen sooner or later. It just happened later than I thought." she said sadly.  
  
She looked up to her questioningly. "You mean you knew this was going to happen? But why didn't you tell me?" she asked with tear filled eyes. Her mother nodded.  
  
"Long distance relationships can't go on forever. And Van has a kingdom he has to take care of Hitomi. I know he cares about you a lot but he's just torn between his kingdom and you. And I know that he loves you a lot but he's been trained so much on the country comes first. He can't choose and so he's sticking with the stable thing until you come back." she said with a smile.  
  
"I can kind of understand what you're saying and all but I'm still angry. I just can't stand the way he thinks and he makes me so upset." she said with a frustrated sigh.  
  
Her mom picked up the box of matches from her hands and struck one. She passed it to her daughter and smiled. "Well, that's the joy of bonfires. Light a match." she said with a smile. Hitomi returned it and she struck a match herself. They counted down and threw them in at the same time. All of her once trinkets, her once most treasured possessions of love erupted into flames and shriveled up.  
  
After watching the small bonfire for a while, she looked to her mother and smiled. "I'm glad I have and understanding mom like you." They hugged and watched it together, the ashes floating up to the skies.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
It had been a tortuous month that passed by and she continued to see Eriol. They had grown exceedingly close and she recently realized that she loved him, a lot. And Van kept trying to contact her to apologize and ask for forgiveness but she always cut him off. The days got increasingly annoying and it disturbed her during her wonderful dates with Eriol. He didn't seem to mind it at all though, in fact, he asked her to tell him her story sometime. This overjoyed her and she smiled to him, agreeing that someday she would.  
  
After their date, she laid in her bed. All she could hear was his crying constantly in her mind for the entire time and she had to cut the date short because she had a headache. Eriol perfectly agreed and asked her to call him later. This was starting to really creep her out. It wasn't like a loud wailing cry, it was just soft and sad sobs that nagged your mind until you felt like you'd go over the edge. And it never stopped. All she wanted was it to stop and she constantly told him to quit it but he didn't say anything.  
  
"Quit it Van!! You're ruining my life!!" she yelled and suddenly it stopped. Smiling, she laid back and thought of her next date with Eriol. He said that he had something special planned for her and they would just relax at the beach. She wondered what she would get. 'Was it an animal? Maybe a cute little kitten. Or maybe he might give me a pretty necklace or something.' she thought as she smiled.  
  
'Hitomi... what's the matter with you? Why are you doing this to Van?' asked a soft and feminine voice. She blinked and shook her head.  
  
'Who are you?' she asked in her mind to the mysterious woman. She couldn't see her because she didn't have a link as strong as Van.  
  
'I am Celena Schezar. Why are you hurting Van like this?' she asked sadly.  
  
Hitomi shook her head. 'I'm not doing anything to him. He's perfectly fine. Don't bother me.' she said.  
  
'He's fine? He's going through hell Hitomi. The kingdom is failing to pay off building debts and is in the fear of being seized up little by little by other countries. Merle left him because he was so sad that you left. The advisors have been using him as a pawn more and more and he's just giving up on life. He's been sleeping around Hitomi and he's not even speaking to me! Van has refused to eat or anything and has locked himself in his room last week. He hasn't come out and I'm afraid he will try to kill himself again.' she said with soft anger in her voice.  
  
She blinked and sat up in her bed. 'Now hold on Celena, Van has more common sense than that to not be with a woman he doesn't love. You might have seen it wrong.' she said, trying to be calm.  
  
Celena sighed and continued. 'When you're heartbroken, you do lots of things that go against what you believe is right. He's the total opposite of what you know him as. I've had to take all of the knives and potential weapons from his room and post a guard there at all times. Everyday I've begged him to come out but he keeps rambling on and on about you hating him and that he doesn't feel the need to live anymore.' she said.  
  
'Well I do hate him and please tell him to stop bothering me. I do have a life.' she said.  
  
'Hitomi Kanzaki, I would slap you if I could reach you. How dare you not care about Van's welfare! He loves you and now he's so totally shattered that he's thinking about committing suicide! And you treat this all like this isn't any of your concern?' fumed Celena.  
  
'That's not my fault he's in love with me.' said Hitomi with a bored voice.  
  
'My brother was wrong about you. He said you were loving and would do anything for a person in need. You don't deserve Van.' she said coldly and cut the connection.  
  
Hitomi sat back shocked. The news finally hit her and she felt horrible about what she had said. She laid back on her bed and prayed to the gods that Van would be alright in the end of this. A loud female shriek echoed in her head and a beam of blue light fell down onto her. She shrieked as it abruptly pulled her through the ceiling and up into the heavens.  
  
The room she landed in was large and dark. It was large and spacious but empty. A loud shriek came from a woman at the foot of the large bed. Her short and curly hair shook side to side as she shook her head in terror. Hitomi walked up to the bed and the woman looked to her angrily. "I thought it wasn't any of your concern." she said as she scowled to her. Ignoring Celena, she walked to the side of the bed and stumbled back.  
  
He was as white as snow and frighteningly thin. His once shiny ebony hair had become dull and straw-like as he laid in his bed, his breaths labored and drawn out. "Oh Gods Van! What happened to you?" she yelled as she fell to her knees next to the bed.  
  
"H-H-Hitomi? Is it really you?" he asked weakly. His now thin hands reached to her and she placed it to her cheek. It was icy to her soft skin and warm tears started to flow softly from her eyes. She nodded with a waterlogged smile. "Celena, leave us please." he said with a whisper.  
  
She nodded and reluctantly left, the door giving a silent click. He smiled and stroked her cheek. "I'm so sorry Hitomi I didn't know what I was thinking. I'm so stupid and..." he started and broke out in a coughing fit. Removing his other hand from his mouth, it was splattered with blood. She gasped and shook her head. He gave a painful chuckle and smiled to her. "I've been coughing like that for a week now. I think it's because of not eating." he said.  
  
"Van, what's wrong with you? Why are you starving yourself? Celena is worried about you and you need to look at yourself. You are ghostly pale and terribly thin." she said sadly.  
  
"I was just upset that you might not love me anymore and I didn't know what to do. You are the only thing that keeps me alive Hitomi. Without you, I'm just a shell, a body without a soul, without a heart." he said sadly. Tiredly, he opened his eyes with a struggle. They had lost the spark in them and were dull and glossy. "My heart died Hitomi. You don't know how much I felt like just ending my life. I wouldn't be here if Celena hadn't stopped me from carrying it out two weeks ago." he said.  
  
Suddenly, a large coughing fit seized him and her rolled to his side, away from her. Blood splattered in his hands and on the bedding. He lurched forward and he vomited a large load of blood. It dampened the sheets and his shirt. He fell back onto his back and gasped for air. His mouth was smeared with blood and he frowned. "I'm so sorry Hitomi." he said as tears started to flow.  
  
She shook her head and used a rag from the bedside and wiped the sweat from his brow and the blood off of his mouth. "No, I should be the one who's sorry Van. I should have let you explain. I still do love you." she said, trying to smile during it all. He looked to her with happy eyes. Reaching up, he caressed her cheek with a smile.  
  
"I love you too. But I don't think I can make it out of this. My body is too weak to take it." he said.  
  
"No, your wrong Van. You will be just fine, you'll see. And you can show me around Fanellia and it'll be just like before left. You'll see." she said. He shook his head and smiled.  
  
"I'm glad you came back one last time." he said. He clutched his stomach and turned over to his side. Blood shot out of his mouth and he shivered weakly from all of the stress on his body.  
  
"Van! Hang in there Van! You can survive this! You've gone through worse!" she said as she hugged his back. His body once again wracked with coughs, more violent than the others by far.  
  
"I'm... sorry...Hitomi..." he yelled between coughs. She hugged him gently and repeated her new mantra of 'you'll be fine.' His coughing stopped and she smiled.  
  
"See. I told you Van. I knew you could make it silly. I..." she said and suddenly stopped. He laid limply and she turned him over. His eyes were peacefully closed and his blood covered lips were slightly parted. Tears traced down his ghostly pale face. His skin felt cold and he laid lifeless on the bed.  
  
"No...no...NO!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed as she held onto her love as she wept warm tears in mourning. Her heart stopped living as he laid dead in her trembling arms.  
  
  
  
  
  
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A/N: READ THIS! THIS IS IMPORTANT! I really needed to put out another chapter so I decided to cut this into three good parts. I hope you love this. I thought it was sad but I think that it needed to be done to make this story good. Well, all of you, I have to ask you all a big favor, can you please read and review my story A.I.? It's really gonna get good and I really like the story concept. I would really appreciate it too and this story would come out even faster if yallz do. He he And I can't give all of you cement down answers about how the story will be and other things in this. In the beginning, I was gonna make it that Hitomi and Van get married happily and live their lives and Nakami falls in love and marries Allen. Now, I just don't really know how this story will go on, nor end. But what I do know is that it is going to get even better after the third little act. When Hitomi stops remembering the past and junk. And one last thing, I have to thank one of my reviewers, Yunikon Shesta Awning? You know who you are. you are the one that asked if Hitomi goes back to when she blacked out or back to before she knew Van. If it wasn't for your question, I wouldn't have made this story more interesting and longer that way. Thanks! Well, Read and review A.I.! Bye!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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	9. Mended Hearts and Wounded Souls

Disclaimer: I'm really getting annoyed that I have to type this out. Look to the first chapter.  
  
A/N: A lot of peeps are really confused about what happened. Well, if you are, you should read like the entire chapter over. I don't want to sound mean but I laid it out to you so I think you should read it over. Plus, if you do, you can kinda get more intoned with the story and the details, like when you watch the Matrix the second time. Well, I think that this is really going to be my pride and joy of a story. When the school season starts again, then I think it will take a wee bit longer to get out more chapters but all in all, it will still be put out as fast as I humanly can. Well, here's the story.  
  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter IX: Mended Hearts and Wounded Souls  
  
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Life had been taken away from her body. She laid there, on the floor, her love's cold body resting against her. Two days had passed this way and she had barricaded the door. Everything had crashed down on her and her life ceased to exist. Every waning second seemed to drain out her sanity. She even started to have long conversations with him, even though he never responded. Her heart had shattered and beyond repair.  
  
Her mother tried to come in and begged her to open the door but she refused. It was all repeating to her, the same thing that happened to Van. "I don't understand Van. Why doesn't anyone understand that I want to be with you?" she said as she stroked his frail black hair. She knew he was dead but it never hit her until now. His body would soon decay and she would have to bury him.  
  
They had been transported back to Earth a few minutes after and she had landed in her room. For the two days, she had remained in the same spot, holding his corpse. "Someone help him please. Someone help us." she cried as she buried her face into his neck crying. He no longer smelled of he wonderful and fragrant fields, only of mildew and death. A hug came from behind her.  
  
"Don't cry Hitomi. He's not truly gone to us." said a soft female voice. She turned around to a tall and elegant woman. Wearing a long black Grecian-style dress with golden chords, she had a circlet of braided gold adorning her head of long and wavy black hair. Deep and majestic burgundy eyes looked to her with the light of the stars twinkling in them.  
  
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" she asked. The woman knelt down to her and smiled. A large and intricate golden eye was set into her forehead and sparkled magically.  
  
"I have come to help you and your love." she said with a smile. Hitomi hugged Van closer to her and looked to the stranger with fear.  
  
"You are going to take him away from me aren't you?" she asked. The woman giggled and shook her head.  
  
"I do separate you two, Fate commits that job. Lay him on the bed please. I can revive him." she said with perfect grace in her voice. Nodding, Hitomi did as she was told and looked to the woman.  
  
Walking up to the bed, she looked to Van with affection. "Sym myn hoet niin dakalen Mondrael?" she asked in a foreign language. A single tear traced down her cheek, and she smiled. "Though I thought it would be so much longer." she continued in Gaean. She started to chant.  
  
In katoe myn nakai... kit goen lanai mnt jym katle... I'm katoe im nakai...karel Escaflowne... God of the sky...  
  
She knelt down and smiled. "Nakalani kal." she said. The woman lowered down and kissed him. Hitomi stood where she was in shock of what the woman was doing. Their bodies started to glow and a blinding red light started to emit from Van. Removing her hands from her eyes, Hitomi looked to them.  
  
The woman had let go of the kiss and was sitting on the bed. Van was sitting up and looking at the woman. He looked like he knew her and he smiled to the woman happily. "Hintai kabun neskin tak?" he asked in a foreign language. He caressed her cheek and smiled.  
  
"Jukai niintal eht tukuei?" she asked as she looked into his eyes. He nodded and smiled. Trying to kiss her, she turned and pushed Van away.  
  
"Inhestia? Goet hetey?" he asked with concern. She shook her head and smiled.  
  
"Laeost Mondrael. Kntala ciñasteñia es Arnin." she said sadly. He looked down and sighed.  
  
"Gant ken luret hin mont Arnin." he said sadly. She kissed his cheek and smiled. Love shone from her kind eyes and she started to fade.  
  
"Banstal Mondrael." she said and disappeared. Van blinked and looked around confused.  
  
"Where in Gaea am I?" he asked. Looking to his hands, he noticed they were the normal tanned flesh that he was before. "And I'm back to normal. What's going on?" he asked. Looking to Hitomi, he smiled. He ran up and hugged her. "Hitomi I'm alive! I've missed you!" he said with a smile.  
  
She gently pushed him away and looked to him puzzled. "Who is that girl?" she asked.  
  
"Huh? I don't understand." he said.  
  
"Don't lie to me Van. Who is she? Another one of your whores?" she asked angry.  
  
He looked to her purely confused. "I really don't know who your talking about. I haven't seen another woman other than you since I was brought back alive." he said.  
  
"You really don't remember, do you?" she asked. He shook his head. "Okay. I believe you Van."  
  
His stomach grumbled and he laughed. "Is there anything to eat here? I'm dead famished." he said with a laugh. He looked her over and frowned. "You need to eat too Hitomi, you look so pale." he said.  
  
She looked herself over and blushed. "Yeah, I guess so."  
  
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She laid roses on the icy soil. Everyone had left the funeral to attend the wake but she didn't want to just sit and drink punch and cry. Crying was all that she did now. It was all she knew. It's like missing your right leg and you don't have anything to lean on. Nuriko Misami looked to her with a scowl. She had lost her son because he was worried about Hitomi's sudden absence from school. "It's all my fault. Why does fate destroy everyone I love." she said sadly.  
  
Bending down, Hitomi shook with tears. Her hand brushed across the etched letters set into the smooth blend of marble and black granite. Love that was lost was set in stone.  
  
  
  
Eriol Masami  
  
Born: October 10 19...  
  
Deceased: November 29 19...  
  
A wonderful son and a cherished friend who will be forever loved and missed.  
  
Stone... the haunting color of granite. The day was a cold gray and she hugged herself with sobs. Everything was a haunting shade of grays. Van was back at Gaea on his own business and her mother was having a second honeymoon with her father. Mamoru had Emily, a foreign exchange student from America and the were bonded to the hip. Even Nakami was with her new boyfriend Jason.  
  
She slowly stood and looked around. All of the mourners were gone and she silently went off to her car. Sitting in the seat, the black dress gave her a drab feel on her skin, the way that you feel when cotton is rubbed on you too much. Her small cell phone sat in the glove compartment, the same phone that gave her the largest emotional crash she had.  
  
It was the same day Van was brought back alive. Eriol had been driving to Hitomi's house to check up on her because she had shut herself off in her room. A drunken friend from school happened to drive behind him and rear ended his car. It lost control and spun off of the road and some fifty yards into a ditch. And he had died on his way to the hospital. Their friend, however, had run his car into a house and killed a nine-year-old girl as well. He had survived without a scratch and was caught and is in jail now, waiting for his trial.  
  
Getting her senses together, Hitomi drove back to her house and walked into her empty house. Everyone was having fun and spending time with one another. She was left out of it all and it stung. It was just miserable in life and she missed having Eriol there when bad things had happened to her.  
  
He was her only ray of happiness in her life and he did anything to please her. His short blue hair was always the point of her day. Whenever she wanted to, she would always give a playful tug on his bangs and he would freak. But his eyes were another story. They were a perfect gray, the only shad of ray she loved. They were deep and intense, yet they were increasingly shy. All she loved to do was to just stare into his eyes. Reassuring and mysterious, they were the most beautiful eyes she had ever been blessed to gaze upon. Now they were sealed off from her, his comforting being taken away from her.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey Hitomi! Come over here!" he said cheerfully.  
  
She smiled and ran up to him. He was by a large barn and he walked in.  
  
"Stay there! It's a surprise!" he yelled from deep inside the barn. Shrugging, she sat on the log by the side of it. A small clopping of many feet came closer and a few soft words came from him and he walked out the large door. Trailing him was a large white and black spotted American Quarterhorse. It whinnied and snorted like it was only doing this because it would be fed after it all.  
  
"Wow. It's beautiful Eriol!" she exclaimed. They both got on and rode around the soft countryside. She smiled and relished in the warm embrace he had on her. It was gentle and caring and she enjoyed it all.  
  
"Eriol, I love you. Don't ever leave me okay?" she said with a sigh. A small kiss was placed on her cheek and he gave her a soft squeeze.  
  
"I'll stay with you until the end of the Earth and beyond. As long as you need me, I'll be here for you." he said sincerely.  
  
  
  
  
  
She took out the key from under the fish tank and looked to it meaningfully. It was the key to destruction, war, despair, and misfortunes. The key to eternal devotion. Just the feel of the brass key made her shake with nervousness. It was like quitting smoking and boxes of the best quality cigarettes are sitting right on your bed stand with a lighter. Biting her lip, she muttered, "This is the only way."  
  
She walked over to her desk and stuck the key roughly into the slot and hesitated. Slowly turning it, the slow click of the lock rang into her ears and she pulled back the drawer anxiously. In there laid a solitary red box. The tin shone at her in defiance and magnificence. Reaching in, a cold chill swept up into her hand and iced her bones. It was the feel of power, mental power, the power of the stars in the sky.  
  
Licking her lips, she quickly grabbed the box and slammed it onto the table quickly. Opening it, the long sheets of thick paper lay stacked. Pure evil to her. All they caused was misfortune and fighting. Whenever they were used for good, dire consequences were involved.  
  
Her unsteady heart wasn't good for them, she was an undeserving card mistress and they hated her with a passion, using loopholes to create agonizing grief for her. Their true owner was who they were waiting for and this inferior woman's grandmother was a person oh so close to being able to wield the power.  
  
She took them out and shuffled them. Each card dodging and weaving into their correct position. 'What will my destiny be? Will I ever be happy?' she asked the cards in her thoughts. Laying them out, she looked in confusion as the moon card was placed. It was as if it glowed and something stuck out from under it. "Huh? What's this?" she asked as she picked up the card.  
  
A vision rattled inside of her. Van and another woman was wrapped up in thin covers, each crying out in soft pleasure. They clung to each other as he moved astride her, their bodies slick with sweat. The woman had ebony hair but her eyes were shut so she couldn't see. An intricate golden eye symbol was adorned on her forehead. Hitomi looked down to the cards in an open-mouthed shock. The two cards dropped together, snickering at her in her mind, The Moon and The Sun.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I have to say that I like this story and I'm really changing it all around. I have just taken off the big rant note at the end of this so if you really want it, feel free to e-mail me for it. Well, bye!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~!~ 


	10. Maniac

A/N: HAHAHAHA!!! I think that some of my readers hate me now! Ah wells! I really don't care if they do or not. I don't live with ya and that's all that matters right? So, I hope you read my weird apology letter. I wasn't really apologizing, just making sure you all understood my side of thoughts. I really am glad that my only two responses for my apologies, Invisible Cheese Girl and Dana actually said something. Well, I'm improving my story and this chapter is going to be the last in the flashbacks. And, now that I'm realizing that Hitomi too is soooooo perfect, now I am changing it so she has some minor faults and a few major ones as well.  
  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter X: Maniac  
  
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Hats flew and everyone yelled happily. Colors of blue and gold mingled as we all cheered. Nakami held me as I scream with joy. My high school days are over. The chair behind me is empty, with a frame and a colorful lei sitting there. A respective blue robe was folded under it and his cap laid neatly next to the picture. I frowned at the sad little memorial of him. Nobody wanted to put something there for him and the people who did care about him forgot. It was like he was fading away and nobody cared. Nakami's mother gave me a cheerful hug and a shoved a small tissue paper wrapped gift into my hands.  
  
"Congratulations Hitomi! I'm so proud of you and you aren't even my daughter." she said with a warm smile and turned to her daughter. Nozomi was very beautiful. Her long satin black hair was tied back into a soft and curly ponytail that trailed to the back of her knees. Shimmering blue eyes, filled with youth looked around happily with a childlike innocence to them. But with those happy eyes were gray flecks of sadness and a lonely heart.  
  
Nakami's father had left abruptly when some cloaked men appeared at their door and demanded for him to come with them. She hadn't seen him until when Nakami was about four years old. He had appeared at their doorstep bloody and beaten and hid with them for a while until someone assassinated him as they walked down the street. There was something he had been trying to tell them about them trying to find a keeper and he knew where the keeper was. So he told them to leave Tokyo until Nakami was about in the middle of her high school years. And her mother stayed faithful to the love she had for her lover and she raised Nakami to be strong and independent.  
  
Nozomi looked to me and smiled. "Well, aren't you going to open your present? It cost a pretty penny though." she said with a grin and I blushed.  
  
"Oh yeah! Okay!" I spit out and slowly tear off the orange tissue. Inside lay a large black box of an obsidian plastic. Placing the box onto my raised knee, I pull up the top. The top slightly creeks open from my hand and I behold a soft black bundle of cloth. There is a soft shimmer to it and it seems almost magical. Glints of pinks, blues, yellows and deep greens twinkle to me like millions of bright stars in the night sky.  
  
"Don't pull it all the way out until you get home. I don't want it to be ruined. And don't wear it until it feels right to." she says and hugs a happy Nakami who is currently putting on her new necklace. I grin and look for my parents who are still trying to get their way to me. My brother frowns with his arms folded. He always hates being away from Emily but it'll be of some good for him. He is looking so old now. His short brunette hair is cut short and sweeps his brows nicely. He looks to me with frustrated gray eyes.  
  
"I can't believe I'm missing a date with Emily to go to a stupid graduation for my stupid sister." he says crossly, earning a smack upside the head by my mother.  
  
"You need to start learning to respect your sister Mamoru." she said, giving me a smile. "We're going to Yobayushi's tonight to celebrate."  
  
I jump and cheer. "Yahoo! We're going to Yobayushi's! Let's go!" I say, hurriedly picking up all of my things and we go to the car.  
  
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"Mr. Konbinwo-san. My name is Hitomi Kanzaki and I am applying for a job at your office." she said with a small bow. The man looked up to her. He was a very business-looking man, about the age of thirty or twenty-eight at the least. He could have been very handsome if he kept up on himself but it looks like the business is all that matters to him. Leaning back on his chair, he looked Hitomi over.  
  
"Hai Ms. Kanzaki. Your resume is very well written out. And you seem like a very business going person." he said with a slight glance at the resume. He didn't actually read it and sat it on his desk "There is a secretarial position open and you can start tomarrow."  
  
"M-M-Mr. Konbinwo-san! Isn't there more things I have to talk to you with? You're just going to flatly give me a job without a proper interview?" she stammered. He shook his head casually and stood out of his chair.  
  
"If you wear a shorter skirt tomorrow, I'll even give you a good representative job." he said and folded his arms.  
  
"You can't be serious." she said with an open mouth and flushed cheeks.  
  
Leaning on the desk, he continued. "It's a very good job actually. Thrice the pay, half the work, and shorter and more flexible hours. You will have to have some business trips but that is paid for by the company and you ride in first class. What do you say?" he said.  
  
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My day has been shit. I decided to take the freaking job and now I'm wearing a stupid navy blue skit that is halfway from my knees and my hips. While walking to work, I've received lewd catcalls and honks from passersby and one man actually followed me halfway to work. Luckily Nakami came by and decided to drive me to work with her because if I had to walk any farther, that man would have probably cornered me and raped me. Damn work.  
  
Nakami had got this job a few months before me. She said it was a really good and easy job if you were liked by the boss. It's not just that I was liked, he basically told me to look like a business whore. This is all just so very great. Right after I left my interview and was at home, Van ranted on and on about how rude he was and how he would have murdered him with his bare hands if he was there. He basically was mouthing his protective death threats to me. I thought it was kind of cute though. He's like a puppy with his favorite person. If anyone gets close to me on a romantic attempt, then he'll foam and rip them to shreds.  
  
I am currently sitting at my stupid little desk answering stupid calls from stupid people. "This job blows. I wonder what it would be like if I was a secretary" I say and slump on my chair. My bangs weave away from my face and my nicely tight bun is pressed hard against my head. My hair is totally going to screw up but I don't have to impress anybody except for my boss eh?  
  
Speaking of the devil, Nakami, his closest worker, comes up to me. She wears a blatant look of worry as she stops at my desk. I sit up slowly and sigh. "Did Mr. Jack-myself-off-thinking-of-my-workers ask you over here?" I ask with a smug smile. She nods and sighs as well.  
  
"He's asked for a meeting about your job. I think he wants to give you another raise or something." she says as she folds her arms. I smooth out my hair and put my computer on standby. I'm an electricity freak but I think it's less work for the little hamsters in wheels. Don't ask me why.  
  
"Jeez, what is he going to do now? Ask me to pose nude for him for his kinky little female employee calendar?" I ask sarcastically. Nakami shakes her head and leaves to her office. I shrug this off and fix my unbelievably short skirt. Why do I have this shitty thing anyway? A ten- year-old could wear this!  
  
I head over to his blurred glass door. "As soon as I get home, I'm so going to throw this crappy thing into the trash." I mutter as I knock lightly on the door. It opens slowly and my boss looks to me uninterested. "Um. you asked for me sir." I say shyly.  
  
He nods and smirks. "Come in." he says.  
  
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"I am so going to quit Nakami and there's nothing you can do about it!" I yell as I shove my small assortment of personal things into my box. It's late after hours and we are the only ones there.  
  
She huffs at me and folds her arms. "Don't think that just because he came onto you that it gives you an excuse to run away from everything." she reprimands me. I'm not running away, I just believe that I shouldn't stay in an office building where my horny boss practically rapes me in his office! I yell this to her and Nakami rolls her eyes.  
  
"You didn't have to wear the skirt you know. You could have just been a normal desk clerk and he wouldn't have come onto you like that, looking like a whore." she says. She glares to me with fiery red eyes. The way she looks like Van is creepy and the thought of him looking at me like so scares me. I gasp and look down.  
  
She continues to lecture me. "But you never can be satisfied with being normal. NOOO, you have to be oh so special. But sometimes you have to learn that with being special, you have more things you have to worry about." she says and gives a frustrated sigh.  
  
Continuing to look down, I smile. "I guess I can't be happy with normal life huh?" I sniff and look to her with tear-filled eyes. "I have to always be the special one that everyone depends on. And when they do, I always let them down. And I hurt the ones I truly love. I can't take this job anymore. I may be a coward but I really need to run away. A break from it all will be good for me." I say. Leaving my box I slowly walk outside to my car.  
  
"Van. Please help me. I can't be here anymore. I want to be with you. Please.." I say as I cry against the steering wheel. A warm glowing pair of arms embrace me and I can smell the fields. They crisp scent of freshly cut grass and pine fills the car and clears up my clogged nose.  
  
"Hitomi..." whispers the voice of my phantom savior. I turn to him and I meet a pair of sad ruby eyes. Shaking my head, I bury my face into his chest and clung onto the warm green of the shirt. "Aishiteru..." I hear and the warm embrace starts to fade. The car regains the fresh smell of new car. Falling against the back of the seat, I hug it and cry hysterically.  
  
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A/N: So. I swear that I'm almost done with the flashbacks so you all can be happy and read my weird little story. I hope you all forgive me and if you don't, I guess that's just too bad eh? Well, I hope you all like the Goo Goo Dolls because the next chapter has the title from one of their coolest songs, so there. Well, I love you all! Bye!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
^~^ 


	11. Big Machine

Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, never will. end of story.  
  
A/N: This chapter is something that just came out of my head. I thought, "Why am I just focusing on Hitomi when Van has a life too." But I want to keep Nakami and Inhestia mysterious so I'm not going to have one-shots about them yet. Wells, here it goes. I love my AP European History class! It's so freaking funny how peeps used to act back in the Renaissance and the Middle Ages. HAHAHA!!! Peeps are funny. So, I also realized how Esca is a little like this as well. Don't ask me how but it does. So, if things are kinda weird in this story, I'm putting this into perspective with what I've learned in my AP class. Yay! I'm taking AP as a sophomore! I'm smart! I'm smart! Oh, sorry. And the reason for the title is because I love the Goo Goo Dolls and the song. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Big Machine is such a good song and I recommend it. It's funny how the title Big Machine came up in my head when I first thought of this Van-based chapter. Hehe! Well, I hope you enjoy!  
  
  
  
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Chapter XI: Big Machine  
  
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I lay on the soft and cool grass. A small red river weaves in and out of the small green columns. Ants wave their antennae at the stream and scatter away back to go to their hill. Emeralds and Garnet. she closes her eyes and sighs to herself with a smile. She says something I cannot understand and looks to me with a smile.  
  
  
  
Emeradu let Girundo...  
  
  
  
Her beautiful red-dyed sandy hair rustles slightly in the wind, protesting the thought of ever moving. It's not her talking. She holds her pink hand onto her erupting heart and bites her lip. From her breast reaches out a hand. Long slender fingers reach out to the warm air in the night. The elbow comes and I watch with the anticipation of a father watching the birth of his son. She gasps and looks to me with empty green eyes.  
  
A sprout of black hair comes out and soon the body of a woman comes out. Falling in a heap of blood, she hugs her moon bathed form and shivers from the sudden cold on her flesh.  
  
  
  
Kala hoet tay! Naalaka mik a nim soen!  
  
  
  
The other woman lays against the grass. Her eyes placed on me for an eternity. Haunting emerald glass mirrors that hold my appearance. She gives a whisper from the far plane.  
  
" Gomen-nasai... Van..."  
  
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I wake up in my bed. My body is drenched with sweat as I sit up. Shivering, 'Oh gods' is the only thing I can mutter out. Looking at my hands, I watch the candlelight dance on them. I look over to my lantern and remove the shield. The flame shakes a bit and then becomes still. Moving my hand over and onto the flame, it jumps and licks my hand in a hot burn.  
  
"Shit." I curse and shove the shield back on. Pulling the sheets away from me, I sigh and run my other hand through my tangled and limp hair. This damn dream has been happening to me since I was revived. At first, I was scared like hell but now I'm used to it. True it still unnerves me but I don't wake up screaming anymore. Heh. Sometimes I would wake and scare myself from screaming.  
  
The wind feels so good as I stand out on my balcony, looking over my people. The streetlights sparkle like stars and all is quiet. I don't feel like going back to bed yet but I still feel tired. I think it's just the fear of having the same dream again, or maybe on even more horrifying.  
  
Sitting back on my bed, I lay back and close my eyes. Humming the song that Folken used to sing for me, I remember when he used to help me go back to sleep when I had nightmares. It's funny how I miss it. I used to go into room and crawl into his bed and he'd hum a song for me until I was asleep. Heh. I guess it works....  
  
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He sat on the throne, completely annoyed as an old farmer dragged his daughter into the throne room. She was crying hysterically and trying to pry her arm from her father's hand. Van sighed and sat up. "Now what is your business here?" he asked in a bored tone.  
  
The man bowed as did the girl. "My lord, my son has hunted a deer from your forest yesterday. I send his wife, my daughter to you for repentance." he said as he pushed the girl up to Van. Inwardly, Van laughed.  
  
'He's got to be joking. I've given up my desires for women a long time ago.' he thought. "It's not a big deal. You can just take her and go home and enjoy the deer." he said as he got up. "Now if you don't mind, I have no more business to talk about."  
  
The man shook his head. "I'm sorry my lord but I insist she at least stay with you for the night. We are only trying to apologize for what we did." he said. The girl just looked down and sniffed. He sighed and nodded.  
  
"Sure, just don't do this anymore. A letter is just fine." he said and walked up to the girl. Bending down, he looked up to the man. "You may leave now."  
  
"Thank you sir." he said and hurried out the room. Van smiled to the girl and lightly shook her shoulder.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked with a smile. She looked up and blushed. Biting her lip, she looked down again and nodded. Helping her up, they walked out the doors. "We have to get you a room unless you want to sleep in the halls." he said with a smirk.  
  
"Thank you my lord." she said quietly. She was a very beautiful woman, as high as his shoulders and very fair. Her long black hair was pulled back in a Fanellian style and the ribbons set off her deep blue eyes. Perfect curves were hidden under a long brown and red dress.  
  
"You are a few months late if you expect me to have a use in you." said Van as they stopped at a door. "I've given up on my days of women. It became too routine." he continued and opened the door to a luxurious suite. The girl gasped at the beauty of the room and walked in.  
  
Turning around happily, she smiled. "Thank you my lord. You truly are a gracious man." she said with a bow. He shook his head and closed the door.  
  
'I'm not that kind of a man. If only you had come in Green. You wouldn't think of me the same.' he thought and walked away.  
  
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Colors of blue were everywhere. The field was soft under his bare feet as he walked across the clearing. A lone figure stood by the cliff. Long black hair flowed behind her in the sea breeze. "Mother?" he asked in a hazy dreamlike voice. The figure turned to him and smiled lovingly. The golden symbol of an eye with moons and suns were decorated in the middle of her forehead. Slowly, he reached her and she hugged him. Speaking in Draconian, she whispered of their meeting was fate and destiny's doings.  
  
Raising up on the tips of her toes, she planted a long kiss on his lips. Drawing in breath, he traced his hands down her back. The ties of her dress were warm and drew him fingers into them. Slowly, as if they had a mind of their own, his hands smoothly untied her dress. She hugged him and whispered, "Touch me..."  
  
His hands did as they were told and she sighed at his soft caresses on her flesh. Soon, he was sending warm kisses up and down her neck, relishing in her smell of pristine water and smoke. "I need to stop. I can't do this." said Van in a husky whisper.  
  
The girl gave him another passionate kiss and nibbled on his lip. "You can't. This was destined to be. Don't stop. His feels so good." she moaned. As they laid back on the soft grass, everything faded.  
  
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Dammit. The dreams I've been having lately are turning out to being scarier by the minute. Hell, I'm so scared that I'm saying 'scarier!' That woman on the field........ I feel like I've seen her before but it's still a little hazy. Oh gods, the woman. Hitomi would kill me if she ever knew that I had a dream like that. I'll never forgive myself. But how was I going to be able to not do what just happened? My body just moved on it's own. All I could do was sit there and watch.  
  
I should ignore this all and continue on with my day. My day? Holy shit! I'm supposed to make a speech today about the advancements of Fanellia! Well, this stupid dream can wait for a while! I have a speech to write. Okay, I'm in the study and I have the pen ready. What will I say? Um, today is a good... no. In the recent years of... of our developments. That's good.  
  
In the recent years of our developments on restoring and advancing Fanellia and it's culture have given birth to a new golden age of this country. Our money is... our money is... screw this! I'll write this later. I've got all day to do this. At least I'll have a little fun first. And I need to think about this new dream as well.  
  
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Flowers were everywhere as his royal majesty sat in the first row of pews. A beautiful fiery haired cat woman wore a long Asturian style wedding dress. Her bridegroom was a very handsome man, black hair about his length and wearing a soft white dress shirt.  
  
"And now you may kiss the bride." announced the priest happily and the happy couple did accordingly. Van sighed and smiled sadly.  
  
'If only this would be our wedding. It would be so perfect. And Hitomi looking so lovely.' he thought as he stood up with the other cheerers.  
  
At the banquet, it was the same routine. A multitude of princesses asked him to dance with their overly applied makeup and tight dresses. 'They are all just rich whores. Nothing better.' he thought with a smirk as he sat at his solitary table. Merle was currently involved in an Asturian wedding folkdance and was giggling hysterically. She was twirled around in a circle of men while the women danced around in a larger circle.  
  
He seemed like the lone wolf, the wall flower in a way but he chose to. Keeping in the corner, he just sipped wine from his glass and smiled, swirling the sweet red liquid. "Not as good as Fanellian Vintage. I could go for some whiskey. I don't think Merle will mind if I go run and get some." he said and stood up.  
  
Leaving the wedding, he walked into his favorite bar, Copper Medals. He always laughed at the name. It was like it was trying to sound manly and tough but failed miserably. Sitting at a table in the corner of the room, a barmaid greeted him. "Good day King Van. I hope you come in good spirits. What would you like?" she said and wiped a clean cloth across the table. It was as if her breasts would pop out of the flimsy neckline of the dress. Looking to his hands he ordered his whiskey and she left.  
  
"As if this day couldn't get worse with Gael waiting on me." he grumbled as he thought of their prior meetings. When he was in his women stage, he frequented this bar because the women were pretty and had some class. And he would always be accompanied with...  
  
"Van Fanel! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the wedding of your sister?" asked a man about his age in youth and smacked his back. His shoulder length black hair was tied in a ponytail and the bangs hanging long on his face. His lips were curved in a sly smirk.  
  
"You are supposed to be there too. But I guess you snuck off and got drunk eh Sumano?" he asked back coolly. The man blinked and crashed onto the chair next to Van.  
  
"Now that you're "giving up your ways" you seem to be nothing more than a jackass with his fancy pants too tight up his arse!" he said and laughed out loud. He rolled his eyes and spotted Gael come by with two mugs of alcohol.  
  
"I'd rather have fancy pants than beer mugs to serve whiskey." she grumbled and placed them down. Sumano calmed down to a drunken giggle and smirked to her.  
  
"You can get in my fancy pants anytime. But I forgot you prefer to get in his majesties." he said and burst out again. Sweat gathered on his brow and he picked up the mug and took a big gulp of whiskey. Suddenly, he gasped and coughed.  
  
"Just shut up and drink you ass." said Van and he took a mouthful of his drink. The way the drink burned the back of his throat made him smirk. Remembering his first time of having whiskey at Copper Medals was a funny one. He had just turned the drinking age and was with Balgus to celebrate. The way he looked to him was comical when Van tried to gulp the liquor down. His throat burned for a month and he learned to ease it all down. But he always loved this whiskey. It was the best and the only brew in all of Gaea with the significant burn in it. A burn all it's own, like breathing in liquid smoke.  
  
Gael smirked and sat on Van's lap. Taking the whiskey from his hands, he chugged down the entire mug and gave an average burp. Sumano blinked and laughed in a slurred voice. "Aaah! The wench is trying to impress you. Hahaha! I think she can handle her liquor better than you Van!" he laughed and the turned to a deep mocking tone. "Shall I ... leave you two alone for a while?" he said and snickered.  
  
"No," he began, helping her off. ", she was just leaving. I have to get back anyway. Merle will be wondering where I am." He stood up and dropped a few coins onto the table.  
  
"I guess his majesty is a queer then. Are you Van? Giving up on women and under the foot of your sister! You are hardly a man at all!" yelled Sumano. Knocking his mug over in his outburst, he hurried himself in trying to save the rest of his precious drink.  
  
Van smirked to himself and continued to walk on. "I am hardly a man." he said and returned to the festivities.  
  
  
  
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A/N: I know what you all are probably gonna think at the end of this chapter. Is Van gay? He isn't. I just like to leave undefined quotes in this. I hope you all will review soon. I lost all of my reviews so I am trying to reload them all. But anyway, I am going to go back to the regular time line. This past reflecting thing is taking too damn long ad I want to get to the story already. Besides, the past is so bound on what I can and can't write because I wrote the first few chapters crappy and I'm too lazy to change them all.  
  
YURKON SHENSTA AWKING!!! Here's for you. I wrote that the OCs are too perfect and they aren't that bad because they do have problems with their perfect-ness sometimes. And that is a concept in itself. Well, I hope you understand.  
  
LOVE WITCH: I know you don't forgive me and as long as I don't get crosses burned on my lawn, I will have to take this to the side. I love your opinions and all but I have the demented artists' brain and that means that that goes on the backburner. Maybe time will get you back to being neutral at least. *shrugs* but it's not like I hate your guts. I just .. um... shutting my mouth right now... I have the same way of speaking as Simon Cowell from American Idol. I have reasonable thoughts and good ideas but I just say it too bluntly for others to handle. Please keep that in mind so you'll understand my lil' outbursts.  
  
Well, I hope you loved the chapter and the next one is coming soon! And I can finally announce that I've decided to make this a V/H fiction. It'll just be a bit rocky. Don't try to shave in the car! Hehe! Thanks! Adios! And I'm not Mexican! Black power baby! Hehe! Well, bye!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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	12. Birth

Disclaimer: Look at the prior chapter if you want to know.  
  
A/N: I love this story now! I hope you all won't be all angry with me cause I'm delaying the plot until now. Hehe! I'm trying to work this all out so bear with me okay. Hehe! I'm laughing so much. Ah wells, I have to say that this is definitely going to be a V/H story so you all don't worry about Inhestia. And, I forgot to put that in the last chapter that the girl that Van was kissing in his dream was NOT his mother! I'm not that sick... and I also have to say that this is now the regular time line so the flashbacks are done okay? Okay. Now it's time for the real story to begin. Thanks! And don't forget to review. I'm missing my normal flow of reviews.  
  
  
  
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Chapter XII: Birth  
  
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Her eyes groggily opened. She felt a warm embrace and a gush of wind around her. The entire room was glowing in wonderful reds and blues, intermingling to create purple hues. Looking up to the strong arms that held her, she smiled to him. "Van? What...where am I? What happened?" she asked, emerging from the blanket that was wrapped around her like a cocoon.  
  
Smiling, he brushed a stray lock away from her face. "I don't know. Nakami started screaming and you started to run to her but fainted in mid- stride. I think that they are almost done with her." he said as he looked on to the display before them. Nakami was laying back in bed, her body slick with sweat and she was breathing heavily. She rolled around a little and settled back down. The priests were keeping up the glow and the guard priest opened a bottle of a silver liquid.  
  
Naka lat naka lai...  
  
The others let the shield dim somewhat and the other walked slowly to it. The others started to chant over and over.  
  
Sukala dakam imp drago yart. sukala dakam imp drago yart.sukala dakam imp drago yart.  
  
The priest let the bottle hover out of his hands and it slowly moved to the top of the shield. It broke loudly with a burst and a silver liquid dragon hovered over and roared. Swiftly, it dove into the barrier and landed on Nakami. When it sunk into her, she screamed and convulsed.  
  
"Red dragon's blood." said Van behind her. She looked up to him confused. "Red dragons are very rare, more rare than the whites. They can only live in the island of Draygos because of a fruit that they feed on only grows there. And the red dragons are considered invincible, their hides are pure mythril and they have no weak spots except for their eyes. So, to have red dragon's blood, you have to be allowed by their herd. The blood is known to give powers of fire and ice when you drink it. That's all I know. I've never seen it before." he said as they watched her convulsing slow.  
  
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Inhestia stood on the platform. Her body was receiving all of the soul energy that they could spare. She started to glow a soft violet color. The spell would soon be able to be conjured and they would be safe. The water was making its way up the mountain and they could feel every thud and pulse. Everything was getting cold and she shivered softly.  
  
"Inhestia..." said her love. He stood in front of her with a soft smile. Giving her a soft hug, he leaned in to whisper into her ear. "You're not taking my energy."  
  
She smirked and sighed into his embrace. Her body was becoming cold rapidly and she felt as if she were dropped into the ice cold sea. "You need to survive while I'm gone to rule my people. My father is old and he cannot live much longer. You must become my Emperor. I will need this from you." she said as she struggled with the last of the spirit energy.  
  
"I will govern your people until my dying day and beyond my love." he said. She smiled and looked to him. Even in times of massacre and chaos, love finds their ways into their hearts. But love came too late. He traced a finger down her soft cheek. A tear trickled down it and she trembled from holding back her sobs. "Im dreykenla..." he whispered and kissed her forehead.  
  
"Im sukala ist nem..." Tracing his lips to each cheek, he let a single tear fall. His eyes held a love that she couldn't imagine anyone to possess in their lifetime. Shaking uncontrollably from the cold and from his vow, she let the tears river down her cheeks.  
  
"Im sakin sey dorat lakul nerat Inhestia... my ciñasteñia..." he said as he pledged his vow of love to her. Kissing her, she cried hysterically. Everything was so good and it had to happen now. Why couldn't she have met Arnin before this all? When they could have married and raised children together to rule in prosperity. Letting her go from the kiss, she looked to him and smiled.  
  
"I love you too. Arnin, don't ever lose faith in me. I will always love you. You are my mate." she said and gave him one last embrace. "You are my Gaea." A violet beam shot into the heavens and exploded, bathing everything in a warm glow. Water started to pool at their feet as they held each other with all their might. Inhestia gave a yell and her body stood rigid. He held her up as the thick beam sucked her soul into a growing ball of violet light. The beam slowly turned blue and Inhestia's golden soul curled up into the core of the ball. The ball sifted into blue, brown and green specks started to grow. The birth of this planet was dazzling to his eyes as clouds rose to the skies of the infant world. Slowly the beam shot the rest of its remains back into the sky and his goddess fell into a dead clump in his arms.  
  
Shaking his head, he traced a finger down her forehead, over her elegant nose, off of her silky lips, and off of her chin. Her body soon began to disintegrate and disappear. A long blue beam shot down and picked up the stunned Draconians and Cellonians and the mourning Arnin.  
  
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Nakami screeched and arched off of the bed in pure pain. Saline tears shot down her cheeks and she sobbed. Crawling into a ball, she shivered and the priests stopped their chanting. Everything was silent. The shield was lowered and a priest held a goblet of dragon's blood and walked over to the bed. Kneeling down, he held the large goblet to her. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked at her hands as if they were foreign to her. Sitting up, she looked around the room and noticed the priest.  
  
Silently, she picked up the goblet and drank the blood down without a wince. Dripping of her silver offering traced down her lips and dribbled down her chin. Looking to the floor, she dropped the goblet to the ground with a shatter. "Arnin." She gasped and landed on the floor on her knees. She picked up the body of the fallen leader and cried. Her tears seemed to glow and have the shine of the moon in them.  
  
The first person to stir was Hitomi. All of the waiting for her to acknowledge them was getting the best of her and she wanted to know if Nakami was alright. She stood and slowly walked to her in even steps. The poor Nakami wept over this unknown man but she felt a sense of pity for her. "Nakami? Are you alright?" she asked as she stood over her. The woman sniffed and shivered.  
  
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked up to Hitomi and studied her. "Who... are you?" she asked in confusement. "Who is Nakami?" She looked around and shook in fear, holding the leader's body close to her. "Heik noean?!" she screamed scared.  
  
The priests bowed down before her and muttered in a foreign tongue. Hitomi was confused by this all. First Nakami didn't recognize her and now the priests were bowing at her friend's feet. As she was about to speak to her again, the priests quickly picked up Nakami and the leader's body and walked out of the room.  
  
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Celena fell to her knees in the main meeting room. Gaddes was too heavy to carry all this way from the main entrance and she couldn't carry him much longer. Her entire body was cold and she shivered in her thin sundress. The oak floors didn't help either from their stone cold feeling in them. The water that was poured on the floors for cooling off the castle made the floors smooth and almost slick.  
  
Her soft and beautiful platinum blond hair rested around her face like an angelic halo. She let tears spill down her cheeks as she laid in the middle of the oak flooring, holding her fallen love to her chest.  
  
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The curtains swept across the innocent's calm face. It has been three months since Nakami was revived and yet it still remained to snow. It never stopped and she was getting worried. The crops were dying and the villagers were getting sick in their homes. The healers wouldn't leave their posts to tread out in this "supposedly dangerous" snow. It made her feel horrible about the entire situation. Here, she was sitting comfortably in her room with a nice and large fire while people were shivering cold, sick, and starving in their beds.  
  
The Cellonians had stayed in the second and never used shrine. Their activity there was weird. Basically, they separated the shrine into two sections: the general area, and the private area for Nakami to reside in. Only a few of the priests were able to set foot into her chamber. The leader's body was laid on the old altar and was changed into fine clothing. 'He must have been a prince or someone of high importance.' she thought as she stood up.  
  
Celena had kept to herself and her room was locked twenty-four seven. Gaddes had been buried a few weeks ago and Celena had cried all through it. She was distraught and practically alone except for Van and he was busy with the whole snow issue.  
  
Van was another thing too. He was accepted into the Cellonians "sanctuary" with the priests bowing lower than usual. Of course, Van always brushed it off as a thanks for his hospitality but the way they looked to him and treated him was out of the ordinary. They spoke to him as if they knew him all of his life. Also, they even invited him into Nakami's private chambers. All of it was fishy and she didn't like it.  
  
She decided to ask the horrible tarot cards for their counsel. 'What will be the outcome of this all?' she asked in her mind. Pulling out the pampered cards from a small locked box in the drawer next to her bed, she shuffled the cards and placed them out in her custom styled placement. There were four cards in a large circle and two cards in the middle. "The card for Van is... the hermit?"  
  
The card that represents slipping into the darkness to see the light. She blinked at this card and shrugged this off. "Maybe something good will happen from this." she said and continued on. The card representing her was next.  
  
The hooded grim reaper holding a scythe. " The Death card. The card of forced sacrifice?" she said in a gasp and continued to Nakami's card. "The Devil card. The card for lust, ignorance, and to free yourself from your restrictions." she said in a monotone voice.  
  
Celena's card. "The Fool. Innocence and a life lived in your own ideals." Two cards were in the middle of the small circle, side by side. These cards represented the outcome of it all. The one to the right was the Warrior of beasts. "Van's card." she mumbled and flipped the other card over. The Lovers gleamed with innocence to her. Suddenly, she saw it.  
  
He stood in the throne room. Pulling out a beautifully made dagger, he pressed the blade into his chest. Blood shot out and the raven haired youth fell to the ground with a sigh, a swollen and dead female body wrapped in a blanket in his arms.  
  
Dropping the cards, the Ace of Serpents flew to the middle of the two cards. Courage.  
  
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Van stood up. It was midnight and something compelled him to leave his room. Pulling on an undershirt, he walked out of his chambers and out to the hall. All was dark but he felt more at home with it. Something quickly turned the corner. He started to run after it. The chase was on and his training and the times of war gave him a small advantage on it. As he caught up, the body of a woman emerged to him. Her long black hair flapped wildly around her as she ran around the last corner.  
  
Their chase led them to the royal meadows. She tripped and fell to the grass with a happy giggle. He landed next to her and turned her over. Still laughing, she rolled side to side. "No fair. You're gifted with Atlantean speed!" she said mirthfully.  
  
"Inhestia? What are you doing by the royal chambers? You know how much trouble you would be under?" he chided. Both gasping for breath, it took a while for the answer.  
  
"Well, I came upon my... jovial and wondrous mood to tell you... that the *snickers* pyres and dragons will-be-one!" she said and burst out into more fitful laughter. She rolled onto her back and held her stomach. This was all very annoying indeed to him. First she wanders into the royal sector of the caste without permission and sets him onto a large chase, then she's spouting nonsense and laughing like a drunken fool.  
  
"You're drunk aren't you?" he asked in annoyance. She looked up to him and laughed again. His anger boiled over and got to the better of him. Grabbing her shoulders, he shook he roughly. "Will you shut the hell up and talk some sense?! Godamn!" he yelled.  
  
She stopped and smiled to him playfully. "Jeez, chill Van. I just wanted to play that's all. And the priests made me come to you anyway." she said and sat up. Letting go of her, he did a mental double take and pressed the question.  
  
"You're priests made you come to see me? Why is that?" he asked seriously. Standing up, she brushed the grass off of her dress and smiled.  
  
"Oh, something about putting order in it's place. Some shit like that." she said, examining her finely woven dress for stains. "All clean."  
  
"Order? What does that mean?" he asked and turned to her. She suddenly was at the other side of the field and was running to a high cliff area. "Hey! Wait up!" he yelled and ran after her, again.  
  
This cliff region held many good memories for him. He used to come twice a week to practice his flying with his mother and brother. They always would say that he might have to save somebody someday but he never got it until the day at the Dragon's Graveyard. It was a nicely large cliff with a separate grass meadow under it that continued to the back of the canyon. The grass was a sea green, like that of his beloved's eyes.  
  
She jumped and laughed. Fear shot up his veins and he ran towards the edge of the cliff. Tossing off his undershirt, he jumped off as well and flew down to her. Suddenly, he saw a bright lavender bubble rise up from the bottom and head towards him slowly. Inside it, she sat with a grin. Halting his fall, he joined her ascent. "I wanted to show you what I learned today in my meditation." she said innocently with a soft smile. He fumed and glared to her.  
  
"I thought you were going to die! Don't ever do that stunt again or I swear I'll let you drop!" he scolded. She sighed and landed the bubble on the top of the cliff and stood up.  
  
"Jeez, you have no fun Mr. Stick-up-your-ass." she complained. Van frowned to her and put his shirt back on.  
  
"Someone's completely energetic tonight." he mumbled. She grinned and took his hand.  
  
"Come on! Let's play games with the priests!" she said and made a bubble around them two. Suddenly the bubble shot up and made them fall to the bottom of it in a mess of limbs. Speeding off, Inhestia cheered and Van complained about it the entire way.  
  
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Hitomi rose from her sleep. It was a few hours past dawn and the time when breakfast was about to be served. Slipping on a soft pink dress, she brushed her hair long, along with other morning type things, and set off to find company. Passing Celena's door, she sighed at the poor woman's suffering. Continuing on, she stopped at the guards at Van's chambers.  
  
"May you please tell Van that I would like his company please?" she asked in a polite manner.  
  
"I'm sorry Lady Hitomi. I'm afraid he's been out since a few min to midnight." said one of them.  
  
"Oh. Do you know when he might be back? Or where he is for that matter?" she asked concerned. Luckily, she was permitted to know the location of his majesty so there should have been no problem.  
  
"We don't know when he'll be back but I've heard that he was visiting the Cellonian Sanctuary. He may be there still." said the other guard with a worried look. Giving her polite farewells, she walked off to the Sanctuary. The walk was long and she currently disliked the fact of them wanting to be as far from the castle as possible. The large cathedral was bronze with age and the newly rising sunlight. Nestled in a small patch of trees, it was quaint yet regal at the same time. During the Great Fanellian Fire, this place wasn't touched because of the look of abandonment. Heck, it probably would have made it look better.  
  
Inside was much more grand a place. Large curtains were hung from the impossibly high ceiling and acted as a barrier for a few sectors of the place. The pulpit was shined up and decorated with many abstract yet beautiful Cellonian artifacts of worship. The one that caught her eye was the one of two men, one wearing highly decorated robes and the other wearing a Grecian style garb holding an increasingly beautiful woman, nude of course, but beautiful in Hitomi's eyes nonetheless.  
  
Deciding to continue on, she walked past a curtain, which a priest held out for her to a large gallery-like area. Paintings were hung on the walls and pillows were placed under each one. Two candles were magically floating in invisible holders on each side of the paintings, their flames not even daring to flicker. The first one she saw was a portrait of a white haired woman with loose silver drapes of robes sitting Japanese-style on the perfectly painted grass. Her deep blue eyes were set off from her increasingly pale and almost porcelain skin. Upon her head was a silver and delicate crown that seemed more fragile than moonbeams. The setting was dark and in the nighttime, small grey rabbits nestling in the grass warm and comfortable. Next to that painting was another of an entire different kind.  
  
An Adonis-like figure stood tall and in a position like the sculpture by Michelangelo. Fiery red hair was upon his head in a curled manner that went to his mid neck but thick nonetheless. Gold colored fabric was wrapped loosely around his hips and he was finely-toned with warm sun kissed skin. Bold red eyes looked off to an unknown object with fiercity and regality. A multitude of pyres flew in the background in bright and dazzling reds and oranges. Adorning his head was a laurel type of crown. Instead of the broad and vibrant and green leaves, glossy obsidian leaves gave the priceless look of power to his form.  
  
The next one was of the woman she saw throughout her time in the future. Inhestia as she was called. Her long black hair shimmered and shined. She gazed to Hitomi with a soft smile, burgundy eyes aglow. Her warm and radiant body was dressed in a dark black silk with gold ropes tied to accent her goddess-like curves. Behind her was the sun and moon side by side like the MasterCard logo. Unlike the other two paintings, she wore no crown but a glimmering eye decal on her forehead.  
  
Continuing on, she ended up at the bright red silk curtain to the private chambers of Inhestia. As she was about to speak with the guard, the person she was looking for emerged from the curtains. His hair was disheveled, more than normal and he gave a tired yawn. By the way he looked, he looked as if he spent the night. Forcing a smile, she gave her hello.  
  
"Eh? Oh, hi Hitomi." he mumbled in a tired tone. He walked past her and continued out to the entrance.  
  
'Maybe he's just tired.' she said and sighed. Deciding to go and help out the chefs with their cooking, she left the Sanctuary and headed back to the castle. As she left the cathedral, she felt a large amount of sensual power emit from it. As soon as she noticed it, it left her immediately. Shrugging this off, she continued on.  
  
  
  
  
  
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A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. I put a lot of depth into the last part when Hitomi wakes up. And if you probe into it and find the hidden meanings of it all, you will be able to get the story a whole lot better and be able to enjoy it longer as well. Hehe. Well, I think that the next chapter will be alright and that there will be a more in depth analysis of Celena and others. I guarantee that the next chapter will be a good one! Well, Bye!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~!~ 


	13. Pyres and Dragons

A/N: I am really lagging. I have not so good grades so that's why it's taking so long for the chaps to come out. But this one will be a real turning point in the story. I'm trying to hurry it up so that the plot can go through, so that the storm can wrack the earth *not gonna happen in the story*!!! MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Well, I hope you like it, cause reviews will help it come out faster too.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter XIII: Pyres and Dragons  
  
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The day was muggy and hot. Van stretched in his seat and yawned. He was almost done with his remaining few of contracts and he could go and spend some time with Inhestia. The cheery woman was probably out waiting for him to finish in the temple. Picking up a small letter sized paper, he groaned in annoyance from the reminder. He was supposed to spend time with Hitomi today. She was complaining how he wasn't spending as much time with her as he used to. All of the time seemed to just fly by and he was always pulled on by Inhestia.  
  
"Gods it's too damn hot! Two days ago it was snowing like crazy!" he complained as he moved out of his chair and to the door.  
  
"Master Van! You still have some work to do. It would be wise to finish it before fun." said one of his advisors. Shrugging him off, walked out the door.  
  
"He's never walked out on us not angry before." said the advisor to the others.  
  
Taking his horse, he rode off to the chapel find his companion. Sure enough, she was sitting on a chair in front of an easel. Her paints had masterfully blended and weaved in and out to make a replica of the scenery before her. Looking up from her masterpiece, she jumped out of her chair and ran happily to Van's horse.  
  
"Hey Van! It's too hot here! Lets go to the lake or something." she said with a gleeful smile. Pulling of the long gray robe, she revealed a plain yet beautiful violet robe. Her hair was bunched up in a high ponytail and traced to her rear.  
  
"Sure. I was about to ask you myself. Hop on." he said as he gestured to the front of him. She pulled herself up in front of him, which was easy considering that Fanellian style saddles were made long enough for two people to fit. Giggling that her skirt was hiked up to her knees, they rode off in a good and steady pace. The cool trees flashed past them as the horse made a frantic dash for the cool and cleansing lake.  
  
As soon as it came into view, the horse stopped steadily. The king jumped off and helped the woman in front of him as well. The place was a cool and small oasis from the burning sun and the large crystal lake was the centerpiece of it all. Sitting on the side of the lake and letting their feet be soothed by the cool water, they talked.  
  
"Ronin, the second priest in command, say I need to go back soon." she said sadly, her eyes downcast. Van blinked in surprise and looked to her worriedly.  
  
"Go where?" he asked.  
  
"To Draygos. That's the first spot we are supposed to stay. Then we are to make it to our capital of Garolesh called Nimhart. I'm supposed to take up my duties as empress of the Cellonians." she said in a sniff. He shifted uneasily.  
  
"Why? When are you leaving?"  
  
"Because Arnin is dead and I don't have the powers yet to revive him, I must take the place as leader to my people. And I must take a husband. We are to leave in three weeks." she said sadly. In the core of her chest, she felt a deep sorrow that nobody could be able to comprehend. Everything was falling apart for her and she would soon be sent to her loveless prison.  
  
"Is there anyway that you could stay for a little longer?" he asked sadly. She shook her head and stood up slowly.  
  
"Thanks for the ride Van. Bye." she said and was about to turn her bubble on but he hugged her. Looking down, she bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears. "With all of the powers I have, I can't keep myself from crying." she muttered in a shaky voice.  
  
He just held her and stroked her long black locks. "It's okay to cry 'Hes. Let it go." he said. She buried her face into his neck and released saline tears. Shaking from the sobs, she remembered a time long ago when she was told that same line.  
  
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"Lady Inhestia? What are you doing out in a dark place like this?" he asked. In the dark recess of the imperial garden, she sat on the bare ground, shivering with held in tears. He knelt in front of her and smiled. Pulling back a few strands of messy hair, he traced her face with his finger. "My love? What's the matter?" he asked with a smile.  
  
Looking up to him with a look of shattered hope, she sniffled. "Father has finalized my betrothal to Arnin of the Cathedral of Holy. He won't change his mind and we might be found out." she whispered sadly. He frowned and looked to her lap.  
  
They had been sneaking off together in the darkness of the gardens. She had never given herself to him in body but her heart always had him in it. Being an imperial archer, he was always set to patrol the castle. Since the first time they saw each other, it was love. His silver bangs flooded into his eyes' view of her.  
  
"I'll always love you Inhestia. And I'll always protect you as well." he said and hugged her. Giving her a passionate kiss, he nodded, his red eyes full of sincerity. "It's okay to cry ciñasteñia. Let it go." he said and stroked her hair as she cried.  
  
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She jumped and forced herself out of his embrace. Looking to him with claret eyes in searching, she put two and two together. "Mondrael? Is that you?" she asked and touched his cheek. All Van did was stand there and gaze back at her. "But you were of pure Cellonian blood. Is it really you?" she asked again.  
  
Of course, she remembered that he too would be resurrected as she did herself but she never knew it would be in the half-dark draconian, half- human, brooding yet handsome king of Fanellia. Yes Mondrael was rash and easily angered at times, but he had a smooth way in the way he moved, he way he spoke, and everything else about him. Van, on the other hand, was hotly tempered, passionate, and spontaneous. The only thing that made him close to the word smooth was of his royal upbringing, and that too wasn't much.  
  
But there was something in Van's eyes that told her otherwise. The intensity was still in them, the hot ruby eyes that she always desired to gaze into. They were the same shade alright, but she was hesitant. He belonged to Hitomi now and their love was the past. His soul was buried deep inside the other man's, like another layer of clothing. Sure he was attracted to her in many ways than one but the one that was needed was absent in him.  
  
She'd known this that night when he spent the night in her chambers. As they slept side by side, they talked about their innermost thoughts. He'd told her that there was something missing in him. That being with Hitomi gave him part of that fulfillment but he still had an empty space and he came to the closest in finding it when he was with her. Of course he apologized for talking in circles and promptly fell asleep after that. But while she held him in his sleep, she contemplated on what he said. He was lost, that was a fact, but he was like a child deep inside. He was looking for security and warmth that would take care of him. And she knew she could help him but she didn't want him to lose the last REAL piece of constant and committed security he had. Hitomi.  
  
"I want to help you. I just can't." she whispered and slowly withdrew her smooth hand from his cheek. Looking to her, he stopped her as she was about to walk away.  
  
"Then help me." he whispered and took her hand back to it's former spot and reveled in it's smoothness. She gasped at his change in behavior and bit her lip.  
  
"You should go to Hitomi. You were supposed to meet her today." she said and pulled back from him. Moving closer to her, he leaned over to her ear.  
  
"She can wait." he whispered, lingering in their closeness. Shaking her head slowly, she moved away from him and walked away for a few feet.  
  
"No she can't. Go now." she insisted. He moved to her again.  
  
"Inhestia please..." he pleaded but she drew the force field around herself. It rose and she flew off in a breakneck speed. This wasn't going good at all. And soon the prophecy would be set into motion. But for her friends' sakes, they wouldn't be unscathed from it.  
  
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Hitomi sat on the floor in her room. The food was getting cold and she had been waiting for an hour. She'd even made her dishes boiling hot so they could maybe talk before they dined. The sun was starting to set and angry pinks and yellows streaked in the air, refusing to die down to the blues and black of the night. Her dress was starting to get wrinkled and she sighed. "If Van doesn't get here in five minutes, I'll be having skewered king on the side." she groaned as she sighed.  
  
On that instant, the door slowly creaked open and the king sauntered in. He wore an angered look on his face as he sat down to the front of her. No apologies were given for his tardiness and he just sat and dazed off. This was noticeably a bad time but she tried to lighten the mood.  
  
"Celena seems to be doing better now. She's been walking around and she looks better than before." she commented and pulled the lids off of the food.  
  
Not even looking towards her, he said bluntly, "That's good." Frowning at his uninterested response, she looked to her room temperature, but delicious looking food and smiled at the memory of her struggling to cook.  
  
"I cooked the dinner especially for you. It took me all day to prepare it. I hope you like it." she said as she passed him a plate filled with aromatic foods. He gave a heavy and irritated sigh and looked to her. His eyes looked different to her. It was like during the war when they first met. In the depths of those eyes, it gave a mirror to his emotions. Secretive and broody, he just wanted to be left alone.  
  
"Hitomi, I just don't feel like doing this today, maybe some other time alright?" he said, more than asked. She looked down and frowned.  
  
"It's okay, you can go. Maybe next time." she said and he stood up and walked out silently. He didn't even look back, nor give and hint of an apology. Quietly, she packed up her food and decided to give it out to Celena and the healers. With all of their work on healing all of the sick and dying of Fanellia from the sudden snow shock, they probably hadn't had any good food for days.  
  
Picking up the food, she slowly walked out of the room, accidentally bumping into the side table as she left. Too busy with the large load in her hands, she continued on and down the hall. The tarot cards fell and magically landed in a pattern. Hermit, Devil, Lovers, Moon, Sun, Tower, Ace of Serpents...  
  
  
  
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In the cemetery, she kneeled down at her lover's grave. They were to be married and to have children together in a happy family. Warm tears fell down her cheeks as she choked on her sobs. It had been a long time since she had ever smiled, ever laughed, or ever played with the palace children.  
  
The wind was cold and bit at her pale skin. She was used to it, everything was cold. Why was it so cold? Why doesn't everything hurt so much? Why is it that life seeks to squash another life? She would always think these things as she hugged herself in her sleep. His warmth would always comfort her when she needed it and now she didn't have him.  
  
Her heart had refused to acknowledge anything anymore. She was paler that usual and she looked worn out from all of the crying, like a wrung out towel. Straw-like and thin hair laid clumped and matted to her hair, only combed with her long and stick-like fingers.  
  
"Gaddes, I miss you." she whispered sadly.  
  
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Inhestia laid on her red settee, her arms folded under her smooth chin the sofa's solitary arm. She was engaged in her thoughts. Everything was going wrong. Her people would be wanting her ruling back in Garolesh. All she would be was an oracle to lock into a closet and ask if it would be a good time to forge today. Her mind was racing to other things as well.  
  
Like Van, for instance. He does seem to have a deep attraction for her but she was promised to Arnin. And he is to be with Hitomi. And that was that. But something in her mind said otherwise. She was the Keeper of the Moons and Sun for crying out loud. She could make mountains bend to her knees. Stars would fall from the skies at her request. She was a living goddess yet she wasn't strong enough to revive her love Arnin yet.  
  
She missed him with a passion. Even thought they hadn't been around each other for very long, he was her other half. She felt power rise in her when he was at her side on the precipice. He was handsome and wise beyond comprehension. Everything about him dazzled her and made her feel free and like a child again. Yet, she still had her feelings for Mondrael. And the prophecy declared for her union with Mondrael. And to do that, she had to make that union with Van.  
  
It wasn't something she wanted to do either. She'd rather that her first time is with Arnin, her soul mate, but the prophecy ordered that she give herself to Mondrael before anyone else. But she didn't want to hurt Hitomi. She knew her fate since day one and it wasn't a good fate indeed. And it was one that would be tied up in betrayal and agony. And Celena, she would be the happier one. Finding a lasting happiness to her final days, but after trial and sacrifice.  
  
"Empress Inhestia? King Van of Fanellia has come here to see you." said the guard from the outside of her chambers. Sighing, she leaned into the arm of the settee.  
  
"Let him in." she said. His tall and sensual form walked in casually. He seemed unsure of coming to her chambers so late and she knew what he was after. Frowning at the knowing of it, she buried her face in her arms. "What do you ask for at such a late hour?" she asked uninterestedly.  
  
He stood in front of her and let his eyes scan her voluptuous body. She let him look as he pleased and looked to the wall ahead of her. "I wanted to apologize about what I said earlier." he said politely. Smirking, she sat up and looked to her with a knowing look.  
  
"Don't play with me Van. I know what you want." she said and stood up. As she walked up to him, he stuttered and blushed. 'This is for the salvation of our universe.' she thought as she hugged him. Raising herself to his lips, she gave him a sensuous kiss. Pulling away with an effort, he looked to her in surprise.  
  
"What are you doing Inhestia?" he asked. No blush was evident anymore but he did seem nervous. She shushed him and spread kisses up and down his neck.  
  
"Fulfilling the prophecy, and protecting Gaea as well." she murmured in his ear. Attending focus back to his lips, she kissed them with such a force and desire that it was almost bruising. Taking his hands, she placed them on her hips. All the while, she felt like a whore whilst doing this but she wanted to get it over with before Arnin was resurrected. Her fingers were engrossed in the ties of his shirt and as it came loose, she pulled it over his head.  
  
Their kisses became brutal and he moved all around her neck and bare shoulders. He untied her dress slowly, following her example and let his body take over. The desire between them was high and heated. "Mondrael. Take me." she pleaded in a sultry moan. The violet gown she wore started to lower on her, letting her large and creamy breasts to emerge. He sucked in a breath and gazed at the newly revealed flesh. She was embarrassed at her nakedness but she wanted to get this done and never have it happen again.  
  
The soft silk of her sheets and the hard tones of his body were a comforting contrast. A temporary flash of black crossed her eyes as his hair covered her sight. The rest of her beautiful violet dress was shed from her perfect skin and thrown to the floor by the bed. His warm red shirt was next, as it landed on top of it. Her undergarments were next and as his fingers skimmed her thighs, she shivered and gasped scared.  
  
"Are you okay 'Hes?" he asked as he paused and looked to her in worry. She avoided his gaze and looked to the side. "Perfectly fine." she whispered unhappily. He continued her undressing and she looked to the ceiling. 'Don't see me now Arnin. Not when I'm reduced to the whore of the prophecy.' she thought, a tear trickling down her cheek.  
  
And he took her. The prophecy began. And the cards sneered evilly in Hitomi's room as she slept innocently and peacefully.  
  
  
  
  
  
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A/N: I know that I said that this is a Van and Hitomi fic but I have to say that with love come trials. And this is one of them. So, I hope you like this chapter and I hope you won't be too pissed off at me from the ending. There is to be more good parts so this isn't going to stay the same. And this chapter is chock full of hidden messages so you'll have to dig deep and be analytical to see and understand them. Well, I'm working on the FOURTEENTH chapter now! But I need a hell lotta reviews! And I know that I pissed a lot of people off from my lil yelling spree. So they probably left but no biggie. I will still post fro you faithfuls. Well, gotta go! Bye!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~!~ 


	14. Intermission of Trust

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne.  
  
A/N: I have to say that this story is getting so much better than I originally intended it to be. But now it is really getting good. Well, I have to also tell you that it's gonna get a wee bit complicated from here. Sorry. And guess what? I got my first flame!!! Hehe. No offense to flamer but I have to say that I didn't understand what you were saying. I know how you're married and stuffs and I congratulate you on that but how is this, in quote, "bullshit?" And I know that there is the thing about mistrust but I mean, if you had the same feelings for someone that you had when you were in your first life, what would you think would happen? And they weren't LOVERS in their past lives, they were only in love. As it was typed in Chapter 6, Complications and Death, "She loved another but their love could never be more than the small caresses that they gave each other." Enough with my explaining, I hope the rest of you enjoy it and I am still planning to make this a V/H story.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter XIV: Intermission of Trust  
  
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Inhestia groaned and turned herself over. Sunlight flooded the violet room with a nice and filmy orange color. For a short instance, she smiled. She loved the sun for it reminded her of her father, radiant and strong. And her father reminded her of...  
  
"I must get stronger." she whispered to herself. Her long black hair was in disarray and her warm skin blushed to the night before. Van held her soft body to himself, like a child to a stuffed animal. His arms greedily held her in and touched skin they wanted to make sure they caressed. Looking to him, she traced a lock of hair from his face. With a smile, she untangled himself from his arms and legs and pulled on a robe.  
  
Leaving the room, she smiled to the guard and continued to the baths. The water was waiting for her, boiling and almost scalding. It was the way she liked it and she sunk in. Being the daughter of the sun possessor had a few advantages, including being able to bear being in scalding water and burning flames. And the water soothed her, sterilizing her from the actions of last night. Rubbing off her sore body, she imagined a pair of strong and pale arms wrapping around her waist and trailing along her stomach. And soft, velvety lips tracing their way down her neck and shoulders. A long flow of silver hair cascading over her...  
  
She groaned and smacked the scalding water, making it go this way and that in her fit. Closing her eyes, she huffed and looked down. Raising her hands out of the water, she watched as small waterfalls emerged from her fingertips and the pools in her palms slowly draining away. He was gone. Everything was gone. She soon will have to leave beautiful Fanellia and her dearly loved friend Van who was always so kind to her. All that was left for her was Garolesh, her people. And awaiting the Dune King, her...  
  
"Lady Inhestia! Are you alright? You've been in there for longer than an hour." called a priest. Sighing, she smiled. They always cared about her. And she knew they would gladly give their lives for her, no thought of any disagrees. They were depending on her to fulfill the prophecy. And she was counting on Hitomi to play out her role as well.  
  
"Yes Doranet. I'm fine and I'll be coming out shortly." she said and walked up the stone steps to retrieve a towel. Drying herself off, she smiled. "She'll be alright. If he puts his faith in her, then she'll pull this off." she said and pulled on her robe, walking to the door.  
  
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Platinum blond hair lay even more ragged on her sorrow-filled head. The days have gotten better, Hitomi was still visiting and she was eating again. But it wasn't the same. Life wasn't the same anymore to her and she didn't care. Her brother must have felt so guilty when he received the letter from Van. Allen had insisted so badly that she ride in a carriage instead of an airship. And look what happened now.  
  
She ran out of tears for crying. Deep inside of her mind, she could hear a voice. Not like those voices that run rampant in the minds of the insane. No, it was like a conscience, like a half of her that she learned to rely on. In her mind, he stood in the black void with her. Wearing a white and baggy tank shirt and black leather pants, his Adonis figure held her in an embrace. Her form stopped crying looked up to him with tear- filled eyes.  
  
He gently shook his head and smiled. 'Don't cry Celena. You're strong. Remember, you're me. And I'm you.' he said as he kissed her forehead. Giving one last smile, he said, 'And don't you ever forget that I'll protect you when you need me.' Then he vanished. She was shaken back to her world as she felt a warm hand upon her shoulder. She looked up to see her friend Nakami.  
  
"Nakami? What are you doing here?" she asked curiously. She only smiled down to her and closed her eyes.  
  
Nimhoet lect mintal iin hote...  
  
Drana culeiu im hato...  
  
The wind started to rustle around them and whipped up Nakami's hair.  
  
Im hato carte Gaddes...  
  
  
  
  
  
Dolokom vano Yimpresi cala toa!  
  
  
  
  
  
She glowed and touched the ground on Gaddes' grave. Celena just watched in awe. As soon as the spectacle started, it died out and Nakami smiled with eyes closed. "Karona" she said. Enjoy. And she walked away, back to Sanctuary as she thought. The ground started to shiver and then shake. But not all of the ground, just the small piece of dirt atop of her beloved. And he sprouted from the grave like from the mother's womb, alive again.  
  
  
  
  
  
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A/N: I am going to say that I whenever I have an Intermission or Interlude, I am starting a new faze in the story. I hope you all aren't too pissed off at me because of the last chapter. It will all be explained shortly on how it wasn't... what it seemed. And I am trying to explain Inhestia's character in this story a lot more and it was weird typing Nakami's name out again. I haven't typed it out in so long. Well, I will be coming out with chapter 15 rea;;y soon! And guess what? If you peeps care, I'M posting this on my birthday! Yeah! Go November 6th!!!!! Too bad stupid Allen's birthday is on the tenth or some crap like that! Ah wells, I hope you have a good day! Byes!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~!~ 


	15. Anger Management

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne. And I never will... ever...  
  
A/N: Hehehe! I am turning this story into another pit. And it will seem more Van and Hitomi now instead of Van and Inhestia. And the entire Nakami- Inhestia thing will be explained in this chapter. So be patient and read. And LOVE WITCH, I feel sooooooooo freaking good that you put me on your list!!! *bows to the holy LW-ness* Me so great full and me love you in Christian sister-sister way! And I love you alls too for loving, or just marginally bearing, my stories! Have you have ever heard the song "Prayer" by Disturbed? Well, this is the song that I will semi-fit into the plot. And I know a few of you peeps are like, "NOOOOO!!!!! YOU ARE KILLING A GOOD SONG WITH YOUR SHITTY STORY!!!!" I know how that feels. But I am sorry. This story is really going into the plot and I can tell you that I plan to make this a long story. But if you ever listen to the song and you read the lyrics, this is what this story will be about. Yup, all that weird crap. But it's good crap! Well, enough of me, enjoy the read. I love you all!  
  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter XV: Anger Management  
  
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She checked his room, the training areas, the study, library, meeting rooms, throne room, and the gardens and kitchens. He wasn't around anywhere. And this wasn't the perfect time to be gone either, since she had a frightening dream that night. A black haired, green eyed girl embraced a silver haired boy. They were soon impaled by a large and menacing black spear. The wielder was a black haired violet-eyed boy with a dark and evil aura about him.  
  
Blinking out of her remembrance of the vision, she made her way over to Sanctuary. The priests were busy packing up all of the beautiful statues and magnificent paintings away on a large wagon. Everything was empty and cold inside, the fires burnt out and the floors stripped of their warm rugs. The entrance to Nakami's private chambers still held that same guard who never seemed to leave his post for anything.  
  
"Excuse me. Has King Van been here today?" she asked politely. He looked to her sadly and shook his head.  
  
"I suggest you go back to the palace and wait for him there. You shouldn't be here." he said and waited for her to leave.  
  
"Why? Is he here?" she asked confused.  
  
"Please, I insist upon you to leave this instant before I call someone to escort you out." said the guard, this time more insistent and angry. She blinked and looked to the curtains with a frown. Only a thin layer of sheer violet fabric held her form knowing where he was. It seemed to mimic her inability to pull them back to see if he was really there or not.  
  
"I must know where he is. I fear something wrong will happen if I don't reach him." she said firmly. He looked to her and then sighed.  
  
"If you must cause pain to yourself, you may enter. But I warn you, you won't like what you see." he said and stepped aside for her passage. Hitomi looked to him uneasily. Maybe Van was dead, or disfigured or something horrifying. Dismissing this as just a childish roam of mind, she reached out to the curtains. Suddenly, they shook violently in her mind and her vision blurred to that of an all familiar premonition.  
  
An erotic mix of tanned and glossed flesh and wild ebony locks swirled around to create an image of lust and, to her, horror. They rolled around on the lavish bed, arms wild in trying to conquer each piece of feverishly hot skin on each other's bodies. Her legs wound around her love's hips and she arched under him, giving him the advantage to glide his tongue along her neck, reveling in the taste.  
  
Within a blink, her vision changed back to the thin violet sheets. She let go of the fabric and looked dazed to her hands. Pure and innocent hands, hands that soon began to fill with saline water, thick and warm. Finding a mind of their own, her feet forced her to run away from there.  
  
The thick trees whipped around her and stung her face. They ripped her pink nightgown and pulled her hair, making her whimper in pain and make her tears flow even more. But the tormenters soon disappeared and pure blue appeared in front of her. She woefully embraced it like a friend and it welcomed her in a full body embrace. Breath was sucked from her lungs and she was pulled in with the cool current. But she made no fuss, hell, she didn't move at all. Watching the bright golden squiggle of the sun recede from view and darkness envelope her, she closed her eyes and fell into a sleep.  
  
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She opened her eyes to the lake's shore. A warm and wooly blanket was wrapped around her and a sweater wrapped up under her head, acting like a pillow for her. She was still a little damp but was warming up quickly. An angel sat next to her, humming a soft song. His gray eyes shifted to her and he smiled cheerfully.  
  
"Hey Himi-chan! I was beginning to think you died on me." he said and watched her as she sat up. Raising a shaky hand, she caressed his cheek, checking if it was all an illusion. Soft and smooth skin was her answer.  
  
"Eriol? But-but-y-y-you're." she stammered in shock. He raised an azure eyebrow in question. Then he blinked and nodded his head.  
  
"I am huh? I keep forgetting. Well, it doesn't feel any different." he said with a smile. She sniffled back tears and hugged him.  
  
"Eriol, I've missed you so much! It's all my fault you're dead. I'm so sorry!" she cried as he held her, stroking her hair softly. His warmth was back to her. This was the warmth she missed for most of her college and life after that. He was always the one to pick her up from a bad situation and pamper her with his homemade kindness. Always, he would make sure she was warm and fed. Sometimes, she would remark that he was going to make her a fat woman with a million blue-haired kids running around.  
  
His love for her was pure, honest, playful, and a bit too mature for their age. Not like wild sex everywhere or that kind of thing. While all the young couples would go do something daring and hip, they'd always go out to the stables or just sit on the couch and hold each other under a blanket while watching a movie. And she was comfortable with it, even liked it. Sometimes, Nakami would tease her by saying they looked like an old couple. They'd all laugh of course, but there was something that made her want it to be like that.  
  
She wanted to grow old with him. She wished that they could sit on a porch with hot cocoa and marshmallows while watching their grandchildren play in the snow. And she wanted to be the mother of the Eriol's first son, to be Masami Hitomi herself and to be proud to be his wife. She wished fate didn't keep pushing her the other way when she finally found happiness again. True she was already involved with Van but she still loved Eriol completely. And she hoped he felt the same way for her.  
  
"It's alright Hitomi. It was all destiny's plan." he said and pulled away from her with a smile. "I was supposed to give you something before you bailed out on me." Hitomi blushed and frowned.  
  
"Sorry about that." she said and watched him reach into his pockets. Slowly, he pulled out a long velvet box and passed it to her.  
  
"Open it. It's really nice." he said softly. She looked up to him and then put her attention back to the long box. Opening it, jewels glimmered and shone magnificently as they reflected off of the sun's rays. She gasped at the beauty of the diamond necklace. The many chains were diamonds and there was a thick pink and pearl swirled stone in the shape of a heart with small diamonds around it, like the crown of sunrays on the sun.  
  
"Oh gods, how did you afford it? How could anyone afford it?" she asked as she gently pulled it out to examine it. Untying it for her, he slipped it out of her hands and tied it at the back of her neck. It hung very lightly and felt oh so right upon her breast.  
  
"Fate gave it to me. Now, Hitomi you really have to listen, this is crucial. There will be a horde of pyres flying in this fortnight. One will bear a saddle made of the finest silk you could imagine. Inside of that, there is a ruby and gold box that has silver letters engraved in it. Inside of that will be two pouches, a blue satin one and a green cotton one. Take the green cotton one and don't open it until the morning."  
  
"Come back the next morning to the spot that you found the runaway pyre. It will have come back with a large pack filled with jewels, an ornate key and some papers. You must take the key and the papers. Respond to the letter and give it to the pyre and it shall fly away. The paper is a map that will take you to the gate of the Dune realm. But only the seeress with lackluster jade eyes will be able to open it and quell the Dune prince. The fate of Gaea is in your hands Hitomi." he said as he looked into her eyes.  
  
Stroking her cheek, he sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if I ruined your life by walking into it. But I was wrong." he said and brushed his lips against hers. Everything around her became warm and fuzzy and she fainted against him.  
  
The next thing she saw was Van, lightly shaking her to revive her. His garnet eyes were focused on her face in worry. She felt the water of the lake rise in her throat and she coughed it violently out. Rolling to her side, she gasped for air and he soothingly pat her back. Silencing, she jumped at his touch and scooted away from him. Anger glared in her eyes as she fixed her skirts.  
  
"Shouldn't you be with Nakami?" she spat as she stood up. He gave her a puzzled look and she huffed at his reaction. "Don't give me that I'm- totally-clueless look Van! I know what you did!" she said again, anger ablaze in her eyes.  
  
"Hitomi... how did you find out?" he asked shocked. He paled at the realization and she stood up.  
  
"I've known all along that this would happen. I just didn't think it would really come true." she said and glared to him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be going to my room now." She turned on her heel and walked out, leaving a very pale and confused Van.  
  
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Celena hugged her love softly. He had been tired since he emerged from the grave and she was barely able to sneak them into their room. His navy blue hair waved softly on her pillow and carried bits of dirt and grass in it. But it didn't matter that her bed would be soiled beyond repair, she was glad he was with her in this dream she believed she was having. 'When I wake up, he'll be back under the earth and I will be lonely again.' she thought sadly and she traced a finger down the side of his face.  
  
Dream or not, she wanted to relish in the fact that he was there with her and she'd be able to hear his voice again. He was ice cold and she shivered at the brushing of his cold skin on hers. She had to keep him warm but she didn't know what to do without rousing suspicion about her behavior. Nobody was to know he was alive until he was well enough to make an appearance. Of course there was a big hole in the ground where his body should be but she prayed that they wouldn't think she had him in her room.  
  
Looking to the fireplace, she saw a lone log, sat there for decoration. Since her room was near the kitchen quarters, it was one of the warmest rooms so she needed no fire. Carefully, she squirmed her way out of his arms and watched his face for any sign of a stir. All he did was wiggle his nose, scratch it and fall back into blissful sleep. She pulled down every spare blanket in the room and piled them onto his corpse-cold body. Finding some flint, she started a fire and threw some handkerchiefs and old gloves in it to build up a roaring flame.  
  
Satisfied with her work, she sat on a chair and watched him sleep. His chest rose and fell with each sweet breath of life he took. He laid on his side, the many blankets wrapped around him would warm the Mystic Valley. Gaddes stirred again as she held her breath. Opening one blue eye slowly, he looked around ad fixated his sight on her. Smiling, he took in a deep breath and smiled.  
  
"Good morning sweetheart." he said softly as he stretched and yawned. "Babe, what time is it?" he asked, rubbing an eye. He was the same old Gaddes, casual and cool even through some really bad situations. Seemingly too tired to sit up, he laid on his side and watched her. She flinched at his gaze and muttered out, "Sunset. You need to keep warm so stay in bed."  
  
"If you lay here with me, I can think of a faster way to get warm." he said with a mischievous smirk. She rolled her eyes and tended to the fire.  
  
The embers sparked, and flickered in their red hot state. Soft sapphire eyes were drawn in to the fiery dancers. They twirled and flung their limbs in a sensual fashion. The main dancer waved her in, pirouetting in a masterful ballet. The reflection of the spectacle reflected in her blue eyes, turning them a sort of champagne color. Like a snake to the charmer, her pale hand hesitantly reached out to join them.  
  
Masculine red machines with long cloaks formed around the sides of the brick theatre. But the ladies did not flee from them, they only spun faster and faster, trying to attain some goal. And the machines held their waists and threw them in the air. And they flew. 'Play with us Celena. Dance with us.' they giggled as the held out their hands to her. And she grasped it. Their claws sunk into her skin and they bit at her. The guymelefs sprayed their liquid metal at her and they waged war on her porcelain slice of flesh.  
  
She screamed and yanked out her hand. The daze was gone and they all snickered to her. Gaddes held her hand and tended to it. "What the hell did you think you were doing?" he snapped as he blew the red sore. But it didn't hurt. Hell, it felt wonderful. But they destroyed her hand. They wouldn't get away with it. As they began to perform their happy dance again, she spit at them. One dancer fell ungracefully. And the others swirled out of the way.  
  
Standing up, she picked up a pitcher of ice cold water and tossed it into the fireplace. The dancers hissed and screamed as they were drowned. Darkness filled the room and she smirked at her win. "They ruined my beautiful hand..." she muttered sinisterly and traced a finger up and down the wound. Gaddes looked to her in confusion.  
  
"Babe? Are you alright?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to him balefully. Her voice, low and seductive, flowed from her lips with an icy and somewhat evil edge to it.  
  
"I'm perfectly fine."  
  
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Hitomi threw the vase against the wall. "I hate you!!!" she yelled out to nothing. How dare he betray her! After all she'd been through for him, after all they went through together! After taking the rank of permanent outcast for him, she was only dropped for a girl with a good rack?  
  
She cursed at herself and slumped to the floor, angry and deceived. For the second time in her life, he was the focus of her anger. He was the focus of everything; he had made her heart unsure of her talents, made her feel unwanted, gave her the reason to want to give up on life. And most of all, he was the one that took Eriol from her.  
  
The only true happiness she had ever attained, he seized it and made her life hell. And for months, she had blamed herself over his death! But it was Van that made her not go to school, that kept her in the house. Van that made him worried about her. And Van that killed her heart. He had died only to make her life hell. And she had felt every sweet drop of pain.  
  
Also, when she was starting to leave her old pains and fears behind her, he ran off and screwed another woman, breaking the last thread of security she had. And he probably enjoyed making love to her, giving her pleasure that Hitomi could never be bestowed. All because she was ugly.  
  
She had never been desired by any other man other than her old boss at the company and only because he had her look like a whore. How could she compete with Nakami? Every man in school would flock to her and she could have any man she desired. She was beautiful and had the body that people could only dream of. And she probably had only become her friend out of pity. With her ragged straw hair and uneven skin freckled at the most unpleasant spots, not even the most desperate rapist would ever think about touching her.  
  
Huddling into a ball, she sobbed hard, crystal tears flowing down her face like a pristine stream in a garbage dump. No wonder that bastard didn't desire her, she was the most ugly thing on the planet. Suddenly it came to her. She was wanted by someone. He loved her and took care of her, bathing her in affection. And he had proposed to her. But he was married. It didn't matter. She was going to leave to Asturia at dawn.  
  
  
  
  
  
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A/N: Yeah, I know, I am being such a big butthead and making everything unravel. But it is getting good, promise. I made Eriol come back because I loved his character and I didn't develop him enough in the story. So he'll be popping up in and out of the chapters. I'm sorry this chapter took so long to come out but I had to bring up all my grades and other stuff kept happening so I just would like to apologize on my lateness. So, I hope that you will forgive me PrincessCool! I enjoyed my review number going up! Thanks! And here's your reward, a juicy chapter.  
  
The next chapter will talk about Hitomi's quest to find love and Inhestia's past, plus what happened to Nakami. Plus, there will be the appearance of a new character, I mentioned her before but I didn't talk about her yet. AND, Inhestia gets a frightening visit from someone from her past! This is getting good!!! And don't forget to review!!! Oh yeah! And I won't be putting too much of a V/I relationship in this. I love you all! Bye! 


	16. Reappearances from the Past

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne, or the song "Prayer" from Disturbed.  
  
A/N: This story is getting good! I love it!! Well, I am starting to veer into the V/H direction soon and when I do, it'll never go back! And I hope that you will soon begin to accept Inhestia, she is really a good character that has too many decisions that she doesn't want to make. And thank you hime-chan for giving me such a grand review, I was starting to wonder if anyone cared about my story anymore, or if they liked it. Or even if it provoked anyone's minds into thinking. Well, in any case, I hope you like this chapter as much as you liked the other ones. Enjoy Everyone!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter XVI: Reappearances from the Past  
  
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Inhestia walked down the corridors of Fanellia castle. Everything was as good as normal and she smiled at that. Nobody probably knew what had happened two nights ago so she didn't have to explain anything. They wouldn't understand anyway, they would most likely think she was a mere whore trying to seduce their kind king. Still very hot from the bath she recently took, she hugged herself, trying to keep that nice warmth.  
  
The garden was sweet-smelling and therapeutic, combating with her warm scent of honey and cinnamon. Keeping her bare feet on the path, she made her way to the tree where the king usually sat. He was there now, eyes closed, reveling in the scent of the outdoors. In her long white dress, she seemed like the ghost of death willing to take him away. The sleeves long and belled out at the shoulders like a sorceress' robes. The neck was a low V shape. A Violet corset was tied delicately as a decoration from under her breasts and down to the beginning of her hips.  
  
"She's gone" he said calmly. She gave him a worried expression.  
  
"Where did she go? I could send the priests out to find her for you." she said. He shook his head and smiled in spite of the situation.  
  
"She went to Asturia. There's no need in getting her." he said. Looking to her, he gave her a kind smile. "When she's ready, she'll come back."  
  
There was something different in his eyes. He seemed older, calm, and relaxed. It was like he'd just come to some big epiphany.  
  
"Are you alright? You seem different." she asked, carefully watching the expression and changes on his face. Leaning softly back against the tree, he sighed in relaxation.  
  
"I'm perfectly fine. I haven't changed. Here, come sit with me. The grass is nice." he said as he pat the spot next to him. She looked to the spot and back to him. Gently, she eased herself to sit next to him. The grass around her began to soften and wilt from her hot heat.  
  
"Um, I just took a bath. Sorry." she said. He shrugged and leaned back into the tree. She looked down to her lap and sighed. A lone leaf, smaller than the palm of her hand, floated to rest on her smooth shoulder. As it landed, it turned into a floppy page of green and soon became a dead yellow. As it fell to the ground, it was a brown color.  
  
"How have you been lately?" he asked with a kind smile.  
  
"Van, you only saw me two nights ago." she said quietly. He looked to her with a raised eyebrow. She looked to her lap at his investigating gaze and fiddled her thumbs. Giving up, he shrugged and laid back against the tree.  
  
"You seem fidgety. Why are you so suddenly nervous around me?" he asked.  
  
"I act the same as I have before I assure you." she said, looking up to the limbs of the tree they rest against.  
  
"Not to seem rude but I don't really remember it all." He looked to her, his ruby eyes giving her a piercing gaze. It wasn't an angry one, or a blaming one, just a forceful gaze to stress his point. "And you know that too. I can tell. You seemed to give me a piteous look all that morning when you came into your room."  
  
"Have you been talking to him?" she asked, looking to him. He nodded. "So he told you the rest of the prophecy, what will happen to us and Gaea."  
  
"Briefly. He told me that the Dune Prince must be kept pure and safe at all costs until the Seeress is born. So you'll be awaiting his birth there? In Garolesh?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. It's important that I protect him at all costs, if Gaea is ever to survive." she said. He softly pulled her in for a hug. She laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. His large hands rubbed up and down her back soothingly. She wondered if her heat was hurting him but he didn't flinch.  
  
"No matter what happens between us, we'll always be friends right?" he asked. She nodded her head and smiled to herself.  
  
"Yes. We'll always be friends."  
  
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The chamber was dark. A red glow flickered around it, like a candle. It was dome shaped, weird inscriptions carved into the top. A circle was drawn out with a glowing green niter. There was a woman in the middle of the circle. Long iron chains hung from the ceiling. Her arms were tied in them, the rest of the chain securely fastened around her waist. Her head was bowed down, long silver hair falling over her eyes. They were bright red and wide open in a trance. Her soft trembling lips muttered out in her foreign tongue. She hung in this position nude, her body painted with a few ornate designs.  
  
At the edges of the drawn circle were six pots, filled with a sort of herb, a drug. The soft and sensual smoke of the hallucinogens floated easily to her, in a sort of magical and perfect curved route.  
  
Suddenly, she shook up and screeched. An orange hooded priest calmly walked in, followed by a yellow cloaked one. After a bit of screaming, she fell back into the hypnotized position. Her lips were slightly parted and soulless red eyes gazed out into blackness.  
  
"What have you seen?" asked the orange robed one, his voice slow and strong. Eerily, she turned her head to them, eyes lifeless.  
  
  
  
  
  
Touches of old bornes Darkness  
  
Touches of new gives the Light  
  
Son of stars gentle to his Brother  
  
Misguided lives the daughter of Sight  
  
  
  
  
  
The man in yellow robes wrote the words she chanted on fine parchment. "That is the missing piece that holds this prophecy together. We have found the lost scripture of Marne." he said and looked to the orange one. "Kinas, what must we do now? Arnin isn't here to guide us and the Keeper of the Moons and Sun isn't to be here until the Dune Prince is born."  
  
Kinas bowed his head in thought, arms tucked regally into his sleeves. "There is no other way. Prepare the pyres. We must deliver the Keeper here. Our rule cannot simply be bounced off from one man to another." He looked to the woman and sighed. "And undo Faslien. She must be tired and she is our only oracle."  
  
"Yes Lord Kinas." said the yellow one. He gave Kinas the parchment and with a bow. " Nimarn!" he said and waved his hand to the top of the chains where they hung in air. They suddenly slackened and she fell in a heap in the middle of the floor. He moved over to the middle of the room, careful not to smear the symbols on the floor. Untying her from the chains, he held his breath. The strong and appetizing aroma of the hallucinogens was starting to affect him, making him dizzy and light headed. Picking her up, she remained wide eyed, her body limp in his arms.  
  
"Inhestia..." she moaned. He made his way back to the edge of the room and to the door.  
  
"She will be alright now. There is no need to worry." he said, stroking her long and silky silver hair.  
  
"If she isn't away from Fanellia before this fortnight, Mondrael shall slay her." she said in a monotonous and entranced voice.  
  
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The carriage treads along, the passenger tired and weary. Palas was half a day away and she left yesterday morning. Sighing impatiently, she looked out the window. They were currently passing a small country side, probably one of Asturia's border towns. Her soft sandy hair blew gently in the wind as she looked upon the scenery. It was fairly boring to her and she wanted to get to Allen.  
  
Laying back on the bench, she closed her eyes. "I wonder what Van's doing?" she breathed. Blinking, she gave an angry groan and rolled angrily to her side. "Why should I care about that bastard anyway!? He's probably having fun screwing every woman he sees." she said. Taking in a deep breath, she drifted off to sleep.  
  
The air was sweet and fresh, her favorite scent of cut grass and pine needles. Opening her emerald eyes, she spied a ranch. It was small and quaint, just a barn and a corral in front. A blue-haired angel stood behind the gate, pulling out the horse she knew as North Star. It whinnied and looked to her in remembrance. The handsome man looked over to the figure in question and smiled, waving his hand.  
  
"Hitomi! Come on!" he said as he waved her over. She giggled and ran over to him. Jumping over the wooden post fence, she made her way over to him.  
  
"Eriol! You're in my dreams again." she said and hugged him. "But I like it. It makes me feel loved."  
  
"You are loved Hitomi." he said with a simple smile.  
  
"I know you do." she said happily. He looked down to her and shook his head.  
  
"You'll never know how much he loves you." he said sadly and rubbed North Star's muzzle. "But listen, I can't stay long. I have to remind you that you must return by last fortnight or else all of Gaea is doomed. Do you understand?" he asked.  
  
"So I now have a Cinderella thing going on right?" she asked with a smirk. He shook his head and frowned.  
  
"This is nothing to kid around about with. This is serious. Everything is depending on you and your love for Van." he said, earning a scowl from her.  
  
"I don't love that bastard and I'm tired of... I just don't want to be used like he did, that's all." she said angrily. Everything started to turn black around them and her time was running out.  
  
"There are so many things you don't understand." he whispered in pity.  
  
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Inhestia laid on her violet settee. Her chest was pressed into the arm and she folded her arms at the top of it, resting her head on them. Her clothing was reduced to a long, white, semi see-thru nightgown, showing her brassier and underwear. Her long ebony hair pooled over her shoulders and ran down to her backside. Her tan face was set in thought.  
  
'Everything is so weird. Van seems to be calmer now, and Mondrael... is the past. There's no use in thinking of him now. That was all long-ago and my future is with Arnin.'  
  
She looked down to the soft violet fabric that served as a carpeting for her. In truth, she didn't love Mondrael anymore. He was an infatuation of the past and she had to protect the future. The babe growing within her wasn't Van's, it was his, the handsome archer, sworn to protect her life. And this child was the child of darkness, of the Dunes.  
  
There was a rustling of footsteps behind her. "Van?" she asked calmly. Silence. There were more footsteps and then they stopped. It couldn't be anyone else and she just ignored it and continued with her thinking. Something had to be done about Hitomi and her disappearance. Van needed to be with his love and...  
  
The settee sank under human weight behind her. She sighed and rolled her eyes. He obviously didn't want to talk for some reason unknown to her so she just let him do as he pleased. His hand moved slowly up her back and parted her hair, revealing her warm and creamy skin. She sighed in annoyance and buried her face into her arms. The rest of her hair was pulled to the side and a pair of soft lips traveled from the middle of her back to her shoulder, moving in to the crook of her neck.  
  
She shook in startlement and turned around. A pair of beautiful garnet eyes looked to her lovingly and kind. His warm hand caressed her cheek, his thumb rubbing her cheek like one would with a strip of soft leather. "Inhestia..." he sighed. Her own red eyes looked to him in fear. Obviously something was wrong. He had died during the great destruction and she never had reincarnated him.  
  
"Why don't you answer me my love?" he asked. He nuzzled his head against the side of hers and smiled. "I've come back Hess. Now we can be together again." She held him, shocked at his appearance. He was dead. He never had a body to go to. How was he here?  
  
"Mondrael, you're dead. You died a long time ago." she said in a monotone manner. He pulled away and looked to her, studying her expression. He gave her the same look Van did when he had told her he didn't remember two nights ago. His face relaxed ad he gave her a small smile.  
  
"I came back for you. I love you." he said. He looked into her eyes and she shivered. They were the same alright but there was something different about them. She couldn't quite place it but it wasn't normal. Brushing his lips against hers, she felt the same warmth, the same taste as before. The same as Van's as well. The taste made her stomach queasy. He was her friend and she didn't want to be enjoying in the feel of his mirror image.  
  
She sighed in relief as his lips finally departed from hers to her neck. His hands brushed against her shoulder, slipping the thin strap of her dress off. Shrugging him off of her, she shook her head. "Mondrael... I don't desire you this way." she whispered.  
  
He frowned to her. A glint of ice blue anger flashed in his eyes and he shook. "But you'd rather give yourself to that bastard Arnin." he said. She sighed and looked to his chest. Grabbing her shoulders, he forced her attention to her. "Inhestia look at me when I'm talking to you!" he said angrily.  
  
Inhestia gasped. He never spoke to her so angrily before, and never did he command her. That was something nobody did to her. "Your father is dead. You don't have to obey him and please him anymore. You can do what you desire." He placed her hand to his face. "You're free to do as you wish." he said quietly.  
  
"Mondrael, you... I ... I desire Arnin now." she said in a hushed voice. He blinked and glared at her.  
  
"How could you desire a man you never even met? Has your father brainwashed you so easily?" he asked, his brows furrowing at an increasing rate.  
  
"My father has done nothing to this matter. I've met Arnin the day Atlantis was destroyed. He saved me Mondrael. He cares for me, a lot." she said in a soft voice.  
  
"I care for you too. I came from the dead to see you again. Do I have to walk on water to prove my love and loyalty to you?" he asked pleadingly. She nodded and smiled.  
  
"I know you do, but I don't care for you as I used to anymore. I've had to grow up. We could never be together and I liked father's arrangement. I'm sorry." He glared to her with fury and angry betrayal in his eyes. She shuddered at his glare and backed a bit away from him. Something about him nudged at her brain, warning her to stay away. As she moved away from the settee, he followed her, rage apparently in him.  
  
In a quick move, he forced her back to the wall, firmly pressing her arms back. "Mondrael please! What's wrong with you?" she screamed as he continued to glare hatred to her.  
  
"Didn't you understand it was me who saved you from the man in the alley? That I watched over you and made sure Nakami took care of your body? How I kept her alive when she could have died and ruined your body beyond repair under her coma?" he demanded, tears streaming down his angry face. She just pressed herself farther against the wall in attempt to get away from him.  
  
"But you continue to prefer Arnin over me! Even though he never watched over you, took care of you, nor gave up an afterlife in heaven for you!" he continued, his watery eyes consumed with everything in relation to pure hate glaring it at her. "Oh Mondrael... I'm so sorry." she murmured. Slowly, yet surely, he disappeared, a few tears left at where he stood.  
  
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Warm sunlight shone into the carriage as she rose from her sleep. It was a long ride, two days straight, and the driver still managed to stay awake and able to drive. She looked outside and smiled. Elegant countryside manors streamed by them. Each one had the family crest placed somewhere on their domain. Deep inside, she knew that this was probably where Allen's manor was. She remembered Van telling her about how he refused to live in the palace and desired to remain at home to care for his sister. And now he had a wife to care for as well, with a child too.  
  
Her heart sank at this. But she made up her mind. She'd march up those steps and demand him to take her back. With his last romances with other women, going around his marriage to Eries would be a snap. Yes, she'd pluck him for her own like a thief in a neighbors garden. Smiling at this, she pulled out a mirror to ready herself.  
  
The wonders she did with a brush and lipstick. Her hair was now in it's silky waves on her shoulders and shined with the smallest light from the sun. And she turned her plain lips into a succulent scarlet that would shame the reddest rose. Smoothing out the wrinkles of her fair blue dress, she admired the goddess that gazed back at her through that mere sheet of glass and foil.  
  
"This is your chance Hitomi. You'll finally have the one who desired you the most. Forget about that bastard Van. He can rot in hell. It's your turn to shine." said the lovely woman. Hitomi smiled proudly. Yes, she could do this. She was beautiful enough, many people told her that. And a few of Van's advisors would complement her on the way she held herself, so polite and regally, like a queen. She could do this.  
  
The carriage wound off of the main road into a side road. The gardens here were lovely, all different colors and shades of the rainbow, even a bright green flower here and there. It was a touchable paradise, she was following the rainbow. The gold was at the end of it. Fruit trees began to emerge, what looked like pears were glossy and untarnished, making her want to grab one and devour it. No, she wouldn't be greedy and take one for herself.  
  
This place was perfect for a heavenly knight to live in, it was heaven itself. Even the gardeners seemed happy in their nice wool clothing joyfully brushed with the blessed land. And their large hats to dull the sun's unintentional pulsating heat. Everything was aglow and she smiled to herself. 'What a lovely place to live.' she thought as her eyes drank in the view. 'It doesn't seem like a war has ever hit this place at all.'  
  
Soon, they started to turn on a small cul-de-sac that turned back to where they came. At this spot lay the grandest mansion she had ever laid eyes on. It was large with plenty of well sculpted and fancy windows. Its red tile flooring at the inner patio gave it a charming look offsetting the nice cream white of the walls.  
  
She carriage shifted a bit and soon the driver came to the door. Opening it, he held out his hand. She lightly grasped it and slid gracefully off of the seat and out of the carriage. Giving him a kind nod and a bright smile, she excused him and started to walk up to the entrance.  
  
"You are ready Hitomi, you can do this." she said to herself as she marched on. Climbing the small steps, her mouth twisted into a grin. She hadn't seen Allen since she first left Gaea. How would he be now? Would he look different? Was he still the same as before? The thrill of it all quickened her pace. Van was the only person she had seen since she came back and she realized how secluded she was being.  
  
The front doors opened and a tall blond figure stood. His long hair was tied back at the nape and flowed to his rear. His characteristic Caeli uniform was replaced with a masculine white shirt and black pants with a long navy blue duster. But his trusty coral hilted sword of Caeli was at his side, something she knew would never go away. He had trusted this sword with his life and it guarded him well.  
  
Azure eyes squinted at her nearing figure, head tilted to the side in confused investigation. "What brings a lovely lady such as yourself here on this beautiful day?" he asked, returning to a straight posture. He seemed not to recognize her at first. It was a bit disappointing but she excused it with her sudden burst in curves.  
  
"To visit an old friend Allen, who seems to have forgotten me." she said in amusement. He neared her and cocked his head again in confusion.  
  
"I'm afraid I don't know you. May you please introduce yourself?" he asked.  
  
"It's me, Hitomi." she said with a pleasant smile. He blinked and looked to her shocked.  
  
"H-Hitomi? You're actually here? When did you get back? How did you get back? How are you?" he stuttered in excitement. Before she could answer any of the questions, he pulled her into a giant hug, something unlike him. Pulling away from her, he studied her. "Look at you! You've really blossomed since you left. I bet that Van will faint once he sees you. You're gorgeous." he said.  
  
"I'm so glad to see you too Allen. We have much to discuss about. You've really changed. You aren't a knight of Caeli anymore?" she asked happily.  
  
"Yes, I still am. But I am taking a small holiday from a knight's work. Come in! I don't was such a lovely flower to wilt from the sun." he said as he took her hand and led her inside.  
  
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A/N: I know this is taking so long to update but I really needed to get into the flow to be able to describe Hitomi's carriage ride, the prophesizing of Faslien, and Inhestia's feelings of nervousness towards Van, and the visiting of Mondrael. Well, I hope you liked this chapter. I really tried to pay attention to detail, and I know this is getting confusing. But I just want you all to think about it and when you all get it, you'll feel my pat on your back, saying a job well done! Well, I will be going more into The time Hitomi spends at Asturia and Van's epiphany, cause I know you all are like "how come he's all quiet and peaceful after getting laid?" That's not why but it will be explained soon. And Faslien's part in this will be displayed. Don't forget to review! Bye!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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	17. Epiphany of Love

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne.  
  
A/N: Hey! I'm so freaking happy about this story! It's going along so well, and I know it's going in the direction you've ALL been begging for. Hehe! Well, I just hope you all review please. It'd make this story come out so much faster. Well read on!  
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Chapter XVII: Epiphany of Love  
  
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The day was clear and fresh. It was the morning after I came here and Allen requested a day's rest before my audience with him. Now I am sitting at the vanity, brushing my hair carefully. I want it to shine like gold but I don't want to walk in bald headed. After I am finished, I look at myself in the mirror. My hair is longer now, halfway down my back. When I got here, it was barely grazing my shoulders.  
  
The dress that the servant picked out for me is laid out on the bed. It is nice and simple, a light blue bodice with a white long skirt. Pulling it on, it hugs at my chest for dear life. It has no other support so I have to hope my chest is strong enough, or big enough. Nice and snug black shoes laid at the foot of the bed. They feel good and I make a mental note to myself to thank the servant for her good choice in clothing.  
  
As I'm about to leave the room, Allen slowly opens the door. "Good Morning Hitomi. Did you sleep well?" he asked with a smile. I return his smile and give a slight bow.  
  
"Very well thank you. May we talk now? This business is fairly important." I reply. He nods and places my arm in the crook of his. This is so like him, polite, and knightly. But he looks older, calmer, even a bit worn. Noticing my inspection of him, he gives me another warm smile.  
  
"So? Are you going to talk or what?" he said with a humorous air in his voice. Nodding, I look for the quickest place for seclusion. The gardens open up to me and I suggest we go there. "Good choice. I know exactly the spot." he says and gently guides me along.  
The gardens are even lovelier than the entrance fields, if that could be possible. There were hummingbirds everywhere, and the sweet fragrance of romantic blue flowers fill my nostrils. I smile as I look around. The grass is a perfect emerald green, no blemishes could be found in the expanse that we walked. Even though I was a bit in a rush to ask him about the marriage proposal, I brush it off to the side and enjoy the beauty of nature.  
  
He led me through a narrow stone corridor, the exotic ivy climbing all across the walls to give it an aged look, but the bright yellow blossoms giving it an image of it being new. There are bright golden buds, glistening with some kind of sugary looking liquid. He picks off two, one for me and one for him. Directing me, he puts it up to his lips and sucks the juice out of it. I follow suit and blink at the wonderful sweetness of the fruit. It was like a delicious ambrosia and I savored the taste as we carried on.  
  
Suddenly, a hazy hint of magic tickled the back of my head. It was coming from ahead. Was it evil? No, it was obviously something pure but mysterious in the same. I look to him. He continues to the end as if he doesn't notice a thing. Well of course he wouldn't, I do have psychic powers and he doesn't.  
  
The corridor ends and a beautiful fountain greets us here. It isn't really a fountain, it more resembles a birdbath but not to be used for that purpose. It was majestic, the images of robed women carved into it. A single woman in piercing white robes stood by the fountain. She looked up to me and smiled.  
  
Allen stops and is frozen. I look around in confusion. Everything else seems to be fine and moving along on its business. I return my gaze to the figure in question. She smiles to me, her bright blue eyes kindly gazing to me. Her hair is long and silvery white.  
  
"Who are you? What have you done to Allen?" I ask, feeling no worry.  
  
"I am the moon maiden Geladine. Mother of Inhestia, the keeper of the Moons and Suns. Don't worry, I haven't come here to give you any harm, I only came to give you advice and information." she said, her voice soft and regal.  
  
"What information do you have to give me? Is it about that traitor Nakami?" I spat. She shook her head displeased and continued.  
  
"Yes, it is about Nakami. But she isn't as you think. She died a long time ago. When she fell asleep, she returned to the heavens with her family. Inhestia's soul then took her place. As it was to be. But don't feel sad for Nakami, she knew that she was to die for a long time. In turn, she accepted it and lived out her life the best she could. My daughter is also a prisoner of Fate." she said.  
  
Nakami died? But, how come she never told me she would? Had I been feeling hatred for an already dead soul? Or was it for the new one, Inhestia? "What do you mean, a prisoner of Fate?" I ask, holding my anger in. I had been deceived and my best friend never told me. Even Eriol probably knew that she was gone. That's why he gave me such a piteous face.  
  
"There is a prophecy. The keeper of the moons and suns shall be reborn from Gaea and bear two children for this planet, the child of the Dunes and the child of the Stars. If this isn't fulfilled in any way, Gaea shall be taken by the Dune Lords and your nightmare from the future shall come to be. You and the Dragon have been tested many times, including the Great Gaean War. Your love for each other must once again be strong enough to fulfill your part as well in this."  
  
"Wait, I don't understand this. You're going in circles." I said.  
  
"Inhestia, Arnin, Van Fanel, and you are the key players in this. If anyone of you falls, or if any of you forfeit you love for each other, than the Dunes will have won." she said. Slowly yet surely, she disappeared. Everything turned back to normal and Allen looked to me.  
  
"Now, what did you want to talk about?" he asked, eyes inviting for anything I would say. This is my chance. My chance to go to the one who would make me happier than anything the world could give me. I seize the chance and smile.  
  
"I need the fastest horse in your stables, I need to get to Fanellia."  
  
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An unconscious silver haired maiden was yet again carried off by a yellow robed priest. He carried her down the hall, safely hugging her nude body close to his chest. The Cathedral of Holy was large and vast. It stood proud on a floating platform, large as the city of Palas, if not bigger. Large pristine waterfalls fell down to the lake below it. Large rainbows skirted the cathedral.  
  
He walked into a large room. It was decorated in black silks and beautiful gold pieces. There was a large and luxurious bed, in the middle of this room. He laid her on the black satin sheets. Sighing, he stretched and pulled back his hood. "I'll never get used to this." he said, his back cracking in agreement. He was young, about her age, if not a little bit older.  
  
Under that troublesome hood was a handsome young face. Long and perfectly brushed silver hair was tied back into an elongated ponytail that disappeared into the far recesses of the robes. But there was something different about his eyes. They were cool slates of mysterious gray. It was the color that would pull any observer into their mystical depths. That was because they were a pure gray, no blemishes or lines in them, no inconsistencies at all.  
  
He picked up the gold lamp and waved his hand tiredly over it. A small blue light flickered and it cooled off to a lazy yellow. Doing this to the rest of the lamps in the room, he smiled at his work. "That was the hard part." The black room now glowed in a warm bronze color, making the gold glow. He sat himself across the bed from her and crossed his legs in a meditative manner. Closing his eyes, he sighed.  
  
Pulling at his hair, he examines it. A bright streak of blue stands out from the shimmering pale silver. "It's starting to grow." he said disappointedly. He knew that more and more would come but he still wished that he would wake up from it all and find himself still the same old Pyran he was a year ago. The horrible dream was still vivid in his mind after so long.  
  
'Enough worrying about this. I must be just getting old or something. Yeah, that's it. Age.' he thought as he ran his hand through the streaked hair of 'old age.' The silver haired maiden in front of him sighed and moaned in her sleep. He smiled to her and leaned over her. Bright and glossy red eyes fluttered tiredly open. Giving him a warm smile, she caressed his cheek.  
  
"How long was I out?" she asked. He placed her small hand in his fairly large one and kissed the palm.  
  
"About five hours." he said with a comforting smile. She looked to her side with a sniff. "It's not getting too bad. You're seeming to get better. In fact, you usually get sick about now." he said.  
  
A small tear formed in the corner of her eye. Pyran kissed her cheek and brushed away her tear away with his thumb. "I saw another vision as well." she said sadly. He smiled to her and gave her a quick kiss. "The seeress shall give you all the answers. But it'll be the end of you and the birth of a new person."  
  
He cuddled up to her and stroked her cheek. "I shall not look for her. I promise you Faslien, I shall not leave your side."  
  
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The moons twinkled and shined in the clear night sky. An ebony haired maiden stood in an emerald field, a warm feeling growing in her womb. Her hands were intertwined with a fairly taller man, an exact twin of her magnificence. He smiled to the sparkling stars, their bright white glory delicately placed into the night sky. He looked to her, a bright smile on his olive face.  
  
"It's you." he said happily, pointing to the star. It was a bright yellow, something uncommon in them. "You're a wonderful golden star. Something rare and exotic, like gold." he continued.  
  
Her eyes were closed in peacefulness, the golden emblem of her godly heritage on her forehead glowed a mirror of the man's own. With a sigh, she leaned on him, her silky locks gliding over his back like a silk blanket. He looked to her and smiled with peacefulness.  
  
They were twin souls, each knowing what the other was thinking, what they were feeling and seeing. There was nothing on her face that he couldn't read, the way her eyebrows arched, how her mouth creased and pursed, even how her cheeks flexed and her sighs echoed in her form. She was a godly creature, strong yet feminine, extravagant yet plain, but unique entirely. She was her own as her was, but they were twinned, their souls intertwined.  
  
"Van?" she asked, her eyes slitted and mystical. He gave a small grunt in reply. "I'll miss you when I go." He smiled and nodded in reply. Reaching into his shirt, he pulled off a necklace on a golden chain. Hiding it in his fist, he pulled one of her hands to him and gently placed the treasure in her palm.  
  
It glittered in the moonlight and its pink beauty glimmered in her eyes. "I had a feeling that I needed to give it to you. Like it was meant to be passed to you." he said. It was confusing to him. It was Hitomi's token of love to him and he cherished it more than any treasure in all the castle. But he willingly gave it to Inhestia. He didn't love her, and he knew she didn't feel that way for him either, but it seemed to move to her, like it belonged there, the way it belonged with him long ago. And oddly enough, it always felt heavier around his neck when he was with her.  
  
"I'll take care of it. Thanks." she said giving him a hug.  
  
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A/N: I know it's been forever but I swear it will be updated faster. And I just saw X-men 2. I recommend you to see it! It's way better than the first one! And it's cool. And I know Christina Aguilera has gotten kinda weird, but her newer song "Fighter" is awesome! And the music video it cool and she's not being whorey! Wooohoo! But back to Esca! Give me some reviews peeps! It's getting V/H again! I know this chapter is kinda lame but I promise I will write good ones again! Reviews keep it going. And lack of reviews makes it come out slower than normally would. Well, Bye! 


	18. Hello My Love

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne.  
  
A/N: I am under so much stress from all the school work I have to do for the summer and I just haven't been feeling the urge to type up the story lately. But I'm going to type right now. I know you all have been waiting for it and I know you all are about to sieze up the pitchforks and bang down my door. So I'll make this good. AND HAPPY TOO!!! Isn't that a first? Also, I am going to have a one-shot of Merle soon. It'll be depressing but I think it will suit her well. Well, here is the next chapter. Keep reviewing, especially you hime-chan! Enjoy!  
  
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Chapter XVIII: Hello My Love  
  
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It was storming as she rode to the castle. The gates weren't that far from where she was and she felt a fluttering sense in her heart. The chocolate brown mare galloped under her as fast as it could, panting heavily. She pat its head in encouragement.  
  
"Just a little further." she whispered into its velvety ear. Thunder clashed above them in a mighty roar. She looks up to the sky, one hand shielding her eyes from invading rain drops and her long brown hair. Her eyes widened and she gasped. A flock of large bright red birds flew towards the capital. In the middle of the flock was two orange flaming birds supporting a large carriage like canopy.  
  
A flash of lightning shattered above the traveling herd. As it touched the tips of the fiery feathers, it absorbed itself into the bird, giving it a short spark of a glow. The cloaked riders steered between the shocks magnificently, catching each one.  
  
"Wow! It's beautiful!" she exclaimed with eyes glittering. The royal manor rose from the horizon and she quickly approached the gates. They were closed due to the storm and two guards stood on the overpass.  
  
"Let me in! It's me, Hitomi Kanzaki, Seeress of the Mystic Moon!" she yelled and pulled back her hood. The guards yelled out orders and the gates were slowly and painfully creaked open. Tapping the reins, she galloped on. It was late at night, so everyone was in their beds. Finally pulling to a halt at the manor, she ran up to the guard.  
  
"Halt miss or I will slay you!" he yelled as he held his sword menacingly. Hitomi stopped and bowed happily in front of him. Please Raeden, may I please have an audience with Van?" she asked sweetly.  
  
"Lady Hitomi? I can't believe it! You're back! His majesty is seeing the Lady Inhestia off in Sanctuary. Real creepy place you know. I'll assist you if you desire it." he said in happy relief. She ran back to the horse and jumped onto it's back with ease.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll be fine! So long!" she said and spiraled her horse around and galloped off towards the back. The trees were a mystical emerald now and she smiled, inhaling deeply. This was home. The closest thing to home for her for a long time. The woods cleared abruptly and a large field opened around her. It was the lake, that oh so familiar one that she drowned her sorrows in.  
  
On the bank was the procession of pyres. The riders were packing up stuff from Sanctuary and loading it onto the mighty birds. Most of the stuff was just cloth and relics, a settee and some supplies. There must have been over thirty birds there because it was a glowing flock that echoed fire all around.  
  
Hopping off of her horse, she walked towards the convoy. Everything was in a silent hustle and bustle, loading and unloading things everywhere. Two priests were fussing with a rather untamed white pyre that they tied with ropes. Its magnificence was like that of a star, white hot and beautiful, twinkling on its own. She looked around in awe and noticed something that caught her eye. It was on a fair orange bird that hand kept to itself on the side. Being only fairly decorated, she assumed it was just a common riding pyre for one of the regular priests. But the pack that was on it's saddle, however, was a wonderful silk of pure white and reds.  
  
'There will be a horde of pyres flying in this fortnight. One will bear a saddle made of the finest silk you could imagine.'  
  
"Oh, That's it!" she said as she remembered what Eriol told her. Making her way over to it, it noticed her advancing and chirped happily to her. Petting its head, she turned her attention back to the saddle pack. Unbuckling it, she marveled in awe at the beauty of the box that lay inside. It was about a hand's length and half a hand thick.  
  
'Inside of that, there is a ruby and gold box that has silver letters engraved in it. Inside of that will be two pouches, a blue satin one and a green cotton one. Take the green cotton one and don't open it until the morning.'  
  
"Green cotton pouch." she said to herself. Pulling it out of the box, she safely tucked it into her pocket and re-closed the box and fastened the saddlebag. Sighing in relief of her work being done she looked around to find Van. Everything was too bright and busy to be able to spot anyone at once. Walking through the herd, she scanned each of the faces. They all were the same, blood red eyes and silver hair that was long and either braided back of worn long.  
  
"Kassa yaro! Im sarin hal minktruuk! Sarinyel nor Keeper! Im katore Van!" yelled one of the orange robed priests. Hitomi recognized the names and ran towards him. He was barking out orders in Cellonian to the minor priests and waved his hands around. She noticed a royally dressed unruly haired man standing next to a regally garbed woman.  
  
"Van!" she yelled as she ran up to him. He seemed confused as to where the voice was coming from and looked around. The woman, probably Inhestia, pointed her to him. As soon as he saw her, his eyes lit up and he stood there in a shock with a happy grin on his face.  
  
"Hitomi!" he yelled happily and he ran up to her. She giggled with glee and ran even harder, trying to reach his warm arms, his protecting embrace. Everything seemed to go very slowly and she delighted in the feeling that no one else mattered than Van, and it was true. Jumping up, she landed in his arms and he held her up. He spun her around and they both bubbled in laughter.  
  
"Van! I love you!" she exclaimed in joy. He smiled and hugged her close. He seemed so happy to her, so full of life and joy. It was like he had come back from that long time of not responding to her after Nakami fell under.  
  
"Never leave me again okay! I missed you so much!" he said and held her against him. Kissing her, he hugged her tightly as she did to him. "I love you Hitomi." he said and continued to spin her again, laughing happily.  
  
And there it was. It was the start of the prophecy and the end of innocence. They were men and women and they had grown together, hurt together, and healed together. And as they twirled each other around under the stars and by the light of the pyres, she felt as if all of the time of sorrow was over and that a new time of opportunity was here. And they both embraced it with open arms.  
  
-------End of Act I-------  
  
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A/N: Hey, I know I haven't updated in months and you all probably thought that I was dead but I just had a lot of things happen. Sorry about that. But I'd like to truly thank Cev for their review. I loved it! I am so happy that someone out there feels sorry for Inhestia and cried for the characters. That's what tells me that a story is great. I hope I make more people cry too! I know it sounds odd and cruel but I like that truly wonderful feeling that I moved someone with my own origional writing. If I make anyone angry, I am truly sorry but this story isn't going to be the happiest in the world. But I decided to give all you crying people a break and put a period of happy times in here. I just hope it won't come out too happy and joyful. Cause then I will have to add some more bad parts in here. Well, I just wanted to thank you Cev. You were the one who got me back at my seat and writing a brand new chapter cause of your lengthy and beautiful review. I have it on my desktop, next to hime-chan's ones of course. Hee hee. Well, thank you all! And please write me more reviews! I love every single word that you send to me, good or bad! Bye!  
  
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